Dark Horse
by ijs.forever13
Summary: Troy Bolton, a well-known flirt, was a popular guy in school. Every girl would swoon at the sight of him, all but one. Gabriella Montez was the new girl with a secret no one knew about. Troy had fallen for her, but she would only push him away and he'd continue to be persistent. Yet, what he didn't know about were the secrets that lie behind closed doors.
1. Prologue

4 years later...

I had to escape this madness. I breathed in the warm oceanic air before I opened my eyes. I stared out towards the Atlantic ocean and stood on a balcony in my apartment. A hundred or so feet below me, I could hear the bustling sounds of taxi drivers honking their horns and shouting to the driver in front of them.

It was typical New York traffic. A slight breeze came, gently flowing through my hair. Next door, I could hear my neighbors arguing. They were Italian so I had no idea what they were saying. I walked back into the room, picked up my suitcase, and walked out of the bedroom. I traveled down the hallway and opened the door, turned towards my apartment. "Goodbye New York. I'm going to miss you."


	2. Chapter 1

4 years earlier...

Los Angeles. The city of many aspiring wannabe actors and actress. I, for one, never aspired to be any of those. I never dreamed of making it big in the acting industry. I never dreamed of winning an Oscar and a Golden Globe. I never aspired to be a singer either because I never could sing, for starters. I hardly wasn't pretty enough to be a model either, or tall enough to begin with. My hair was naturally black, but it wasn't perfect quality type hair. It was flat, naturally wavy, and lifeless. It was limp, like a wilted flower. My eyes were brown, like chocolate my father had said. I was short, five foot two to be exact. Why would we move here if I don't have an intention to _stay_ here? "Welcome to our new home." My mom smiled and opened the door to our two bedroom apartment. We couldn't really afford a house to begin with. Scarlett Montez was my mother's name. She, like me, had the same brown hair and the same brown eyes. Everyone in our family had told me I was a spitting image of my mother; her doppelgänger.

We were constantly moving from city to city, only staying in apartments. "Great." I muttered under my breath and entered the apartment. We were on the fourth floor, over-looking the busy street of Los Angeles traffic. From our balcony window, I could see _more_ traffic on the highways. Our apartment wasn't fairly large, but it was larger than most apartments we've stayed in. This was more modern because of the hardwood floors with the black leather couches and the modern lamps that sat on oak colored side tables. "Cheer up honey. You'll love it here." My mom smiled.

Of course my mom wanted to see me smile. To the best of my ability, I gave her a smile and she smoothed my hair. _Probably a stray._ I thought to myself and looked at my mom. "I know that ever since your father left-" I shook my head and tore away from my mom's gentle touches. My dad didn't leave because it was _his_ choice. My dad left because my mom cheated on him with another man, specifically his best friend. I wasn't really used to my mom and I being so close since my dad left us. "Dad didn't leave because he wanted to mom." I said, picking up my suitcase and picked one of the rooms as my bedroom. I closed the door as I set the suitcase near the foot of the bed, then sat down. I knew my words had come out a bit too harshly, but when I was growing up, my dad and I were very close. I could tell all of my secrets to my dad and I knew he'd keep every promise. Just thinking about my dad made my heart sink. My dad was a wonderful man, and I wish I could've left with him instead but my mom hated to be alone. She just wanted me for a companion when she wasn't dating anyone.

Boxes were piled up in my room, each labeled to signify what item goes where. I began opening the boxes and putting my clothes into the closet. Some of my clothes were put into the dresser. Sometimes I didn't want to unpack everything, knowing that we'd move again in six months time or whenever my mom would find a new boyfriend. Her life was much more exciting than mine. Every two weeks, she'd find a new boyfriend even before I could go through one. Though, her relationships never lasted because she'd always find a flaw amongst her boyfriends and then she'd decide that we have to move. I didn't mind moving. It gave me a lot of friends, but there were none that I really trusted. I remember living in Texas and I met a girl by the name of Amber. She was a sweet girl, outgoing, and extremely funny. She and I had gotten along real well, but obviously, I had to move. She and I never stayed in touch after I left. She must've forgotten about me now.

I finished unpacking when my mom called for dinner. I set the picture of my dad and I on the nightstand. This was the last picture my dad and I have ever taken together before he left. _I miss you daddy._ I thought silently and exited my room. I walked down the hallway, entering the small dining area and sat down at the table. The table was already set when I sat down. My mom and I ate in silence, hardly speaking to one another. I grew accustomed to the silence.

That monday was the first day of school. I was a senior and was going to graduate in May. I was used to the whole ritual about being the new girl on campus. It wasn't a big deal really back when I was a freshman. This year was different because people wouldn't stop glancing at me every so often. I was pretty, but I don't think I was that beautiful. I walked into the office and asked for my schedule. They handed me my schedule and I began to walk around the hallways. The bell rang and I found my first class. I entered and sat down in a seat near the middle of the room. I didn't want to sit in the front and I definitely didn't want to sit in the back. It was weird to be stared at like I was from a different planet. It angered me that the other students were acting this way. I wanted to tell them to stop, but I dare didn't open my mouth.

A boy entered the classroom and sat down in the desk to my right. He was cute, but I acted like I didn't acknowledge his existence. "Hi." I heard him say. I looked over at him, getting familiarized with his features. He had short black hair, brown eyes, and a friendly smile. He had a slight build to him. _Athletic, maybe?_ I asked myself before smiling at him. "Hi."

"I'm Zeke Baylor, but call me Zeke." he smiled. I liked that name. Zeke. I introduced myself to him as 'Gabriella' and we began talking until the tardy bell rang. After class, Zeke showed me the way to my next class. I was a little broken heart that we weren't going to be in the same class, but we agreed to meet at lunch. "It was nice meeting you Gabriella." He said, then walked off to his next class. I entered my second class of the day and sat down in another desk. The class dragged on for what felt like hours until the bell rang to signal that it was lunch. When lunch came around, Zeke was waiting for me outside of my classroom. "How was class?" he asked me with a smile.

"Long." I replied as we walked into the cafeteria together and sat down at an empty table. Another black haired boy walked over, greeting Zeke. "Jason, this is Gabriella. Gabriella, this is my best friend Jason." Zeke introduced Jason and I. Jason sat down at the table beside Liam. "Nice to meet you. I'm guessing your new here." he smiled. Jason wasn't as tall as Zeke was, but they both looked like they belonged on the basketball team. I nodded, "Yeah. I just moved here Saturday." Both Zeke and Jason were nice guys. They were much nicer than the one I had dealt with back home. I hardly didn't want to think about _him_ at all.

While the three of us continued to talk, I saw a boy enter the cafeteria. A girl was slung under his arm as he approached a table full of guys who were most likely his friends. He had straight brown hair and a charming smile. "Who's he?" I asked and turned my attention to Zeke and Jason. "Oh him? Troy Bolton. He's the popular guy in school and thinks he's so cool because he gets all the 'ladies.'" Jason scoffed, rolling his eyes. The girl he was with was beautiful. She had long dirty blond hair. I noticed that she was wearing a cheerleading outfit. Typical. _Most_ guys go for cheerleaders. "He's also captain of the basketball team, and someone I wouldn't _want_ to mess with." Zeke said as he took a sip from his drink. I silently agreed as he took a sip from his drink. I silently agreed in my mind and continued to eat my lunch.

The bell signaling lunch had ended and three of us stood up from the table. I had off-campus and I was sad that neither Zeke or Jason had off-campus. I waved them goodbye as they head off to their class. I had no way of getting home since my mom dropped me off this morning. I need a car. I thought to myself, but first, I had to get a job. I went outside and sat down on the front steps, then took out my phone. It was 12:15pm. My mom didn't get off of work until 5pm. I sighed and put my phone back into my pocket. "A girl like you shouldn't be all alone." I heard a voice behind me, which startled me a bit. I stood up and turned as I met with a pair of blue eyes. It was him - Troy Bolton.

"What makes you think I'm alone?" I asked him. I hit myself mentally in the head. What a stupid question. You can do better than that. A smirk spread across his face as he descended the steps, slowly. "You're waiting out here all by yourself." He motioned with his hand at the empty space that envelops us. I rolled my eyes and sat back down on the first step. "Do you need a ride?" he asked. I shook my head and told him that I was going to wait for my mom to pick me up. "Suit yourself." He began to walk in the opposite direction as I bit my lip. I stood up and said, "Wait!" He stopped before the double doors and in a swift movement, faced me with a smile on his face. "What can I help you with?"

"I guess you _can_ give me a ride." I said. He descended the stairs and I follow him out to his car in the parking lot. Troy's car was nothing like I would expect from a guy like him. It was a '68 Blue Camaro. I thought he'd drive a sleek black sports car, but my assumptions were wrong. "It's a friend of mines." he said. "My car is at my house sitting in the garage." Well, that answers my question about where he got the damned car. I simply nodded and got in the passenger seat. He slid into the driver's seat, starting the car. I told him the location of my apartment, but was surprised he didn't ask for directions on how to get there. He parked out front and I thanked him before getting out. I watched him drive down the street. I entered the lobby and entered as the elevator doors opened.

As soon as I stepped inside, an arm slipped through the doors just before they started to close. I looked to see that it was Troy. "We live on the same floor. What a pleasant surprise." he smiled. I couldn't say anything to him as we rode the elevator four floors. The doors opened, stopping on the floor and we both stepped out. I walked down the hallway, only to hear foot steps behind me. Was he following me? I asked myself, but shook the thought out of my head. That'd be ridiculous. I checked behind me and yes, he _was_ following me. I stopped in front of my apartment, unlocking the door. I saw that he lived in the apartment across the hall. "Nice to meet you… _neighbor_." he smiled, then closed the door behind him after he entered the apartment.

Neighbor? Troy Bolton and I… neighbors? I entered my apartment, closing the door and let out an exasperated sigh, sitting down on the couch. I set my bag down in my bedroom near my desk and decided to make myself lunch. I took out my phone and called my mom. When the voicemail answered, I left a message to tell her that I had gotten a ride home from school. I hung up the phone and took out some left over lasagna we had from the night before. I put it in the microwave and turned on the TV when a knock came at my door. I stood up from the couch and went to answer the door. I wondered who it could be. I opened the door and to my surprise, Troy stood before me. "I just came to drop off your mail. The mail man put it in my box by accident." He handed me a stack of mail as I took it from him. "Do I smell lasagna?" The microwave beeped to signal the lasagna was heated. "Yeah, so?" I asked him while setting the stack of mail on the counter. He shrugged and said, "Well, see you at school tomorrow." He went back into his apartment and closed the door behind him. I closed my door and went to take out the lasagna.

Around five-thirty, my mom came home and I had gone into my room to do my homework. "Who gave you a ride home?" My mom asked me. I was hoping she wouldn't ask me who, but I knew that she would want me to be safe from kidnappers. "Some guy at school." I replied.

"Is he nice?" she asked. Yes, my mom has a habit of being curious. I shrugged and told her that I don't really know him that well. I added that I had made two new friends at the school. I told her that their names were Zeke and Jason. She was glad that I was making new friends and adjusting to Los Angeles. That evening, I took a quick shower and got dressed in my pajamas, then got into bed. I stared up at the ceiling and thought about Troy from across the hall. I shook my head of any thoughts of him and went to bed.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just letting you all know that you shouldn't expect the characters to be who they are in the movies. Please accept that :) If you can't, then there's nothing I can do. Just choose to accept it. You will really like this story, I promise! Don't question the location changes. It adds to the fact that Gabriella and her mom continuously move from place to place. I will stick to some things from the movies, but other than that, everything will be different.

Have a nice day!


	3. Chapter 2

Today was Friday and every single day of the week, I've gotten a ride from Troy. "Hope that this doesn't become a daily routine." I was waiting outside, sitting on the front steps when Troy approached me with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and once again, followed him to a new car. It was sleek, black, and- "She's beautiful, isn't she?" he asked, interrupting my thoughts. I had been staring at the car far too long. I cleared my throat and just nodded, getting into the car. The interior was exquisite with leather lining and I knew it was definitely a new car. "I don't take her out for a ride, but when I do, there's always a beautiful girl riding in the passenger seat." he said and started the car.

Every single day, he'd drop me off in front of the building and I'd enter the lobby. He'd get into the elevator just in time before the doors closed and we'd ride the elevator to the fourth floor, neither of us speaking a single word. I would thank him for the ride once we exited from the elevator and then entered our respective apartments. This began to turn into a daily routine. I closed the door behind me and set my bag in my room. I went over to the fridge and pulled out some left over food to put in the microwave. I sat down on the couch while the food began to heat and turned on the TV. Later that evening, my mom hadn't come home. I figured that she was out with her new boyfriend. I didn't wait up for my mom as I began to do my homework that was due the following week.

A knock came at our door and I stood up from my desk, then walked out of my room. I opened the door and was met face to face with- Zeke. "Hey Gabriella." Zeke smiled. His hands were casually placed in his pockets. He was dressed a bit differently than the way he was dressed at school. I smiled, "Hey Zeke, what's up?"

"There's a part tonight and we want you to join us." He smiled. I raised an eyebrow at him, confused. He didn't seem like the partying type. "We?" I asked him, then smirked a bit.

"Okay, it was Jason's idea." he smiled. Jason was much more believable. "So you in or out?" I agreed to go with him to the party and told him to wait five minutes. I jogged to my room and looked in my closet. I took out a short black dress and black heels to match. I took my hair out of the pony tail as it fell in natural waves. I returned to the entrance and giggled at Zeke's reaction. "Too much?" I asked with a smile, emerging from my apartment and locked the door behind me. "Just beautiful." he smiled. I blushed slightly to the compliment. We walked out to the parking lot and got in the car. Jason was sitting in the backseat. Zeke parked his car in front of the house where the party was being held at. The three of us entered the house after Jason was greeted by a few people. Zeke had gone over to talk to a few friends of his and I stuck by the snack table. I didn't mind being a loner.

As soon as Zeke and Jason left me alone, some guys had begun to flirt with me. I looked at them, then turned away and walked past them. I couldn't deal with jocks again, not after what happened with the last one. "Hey baby, you are looking fine as hell." A voice appeared out of thin air beside me. I was on edge because I was fed up with guys flirting with me lately. I turned towards the guy and said, "Look, I'm not going to sleep with you."

"Whoa, hey now! Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions." Troy smirked. "I was only asking if you'd like to dance with me, but I guess I'm going to take your response as a no?" I took a deep breath, closing my eyes for a moment and opened them again. "Sorry, I'm just-"

"On edge? Want a drink?" He held out a cup towards my direction. It was half-empty of beer. I looked into the cup he held in his hand, then into his blue eyes. "It'll make you feel better." He sang, slightly shaking the cup before me. I shook my head and he shrugged, "Suit yourself." He finished the cup and set it on the table.

"C'mon let's dance." He motioned with his head towards the dance floor as he held out his hand towards me. I looked at his hand, then took it as he led me out towards a group of people who were already dancing. While we danced, I was searching for Zeke and Jason through the crowd. Where were they? Troy's hand went on my waist as he turned me around, pressing my backside towards him. "Let go." he whispered in my ear. His hands were on my hips and I began to follow the rhythmic swaying. His hips were pressed against mine as we danced so close together. I could feel his lips on my neck as I lightly titled my head back and closed my eyes. I turned around to face him looking into his blue eyes. I could feel myself inching towards him, but I shook my head and pushed him away. "I'm sorry. I have to go." I said.

I pushed through the crowd and managed to get out the door. I ran a hand through my hair and took a deep breath. I couldn't let myself fall again. _It'll only hurt for a second._ His voice was in my head. "Get out of my head." I muttered under my breath and I began walking down the street. _You will pay for what you have done._ I continued the walk down the street. The further I walked away from the house, the voice inside my head became louder and louder. I began to run, not looking behind me. I finally stopped running when I neared the park. My apartment was a few more blocks away. _Take it… take it like the whore you are._ "Stop! Get out of my head!" I screamed with tears running down my cheeks.

"Gabriella?" I heard a voice call out behind me. I turned around and saw a car was stopped in front of the park. I noticed that it was Troy's car. I wiped my tears away. He couldn't see me like this. He got out of the car and approached me. "Are you okay?" he asked me. I nodded, but I could easily tell he didn't believe me. "C'mon, I'll take you home." he said. He opened the door for me as I got in. The ride back to the apartment building was silent. I felt ashamed for leaving him earlier, but it was for the best. I couldn't bring myself to kiss Troy. He parked the car in the lot and I got out without saying a word. He followed me to the elevator and we both entered, then the doors close. Quietly, we rode the elevator to the fourth floor and stepped out. Before I entered my apartment, I gently bit my lip and turned to face Troy. I was going to regret my decision even before the words left my mouth. "Can you stay with me until my mom comes home?" I asked him. I was still a bit shaken up from the thoughts that entered my mind.

For a minute, neither of us moved or spoke a single word to each other. Troy nodded and said, "Sure." I half-heartedly gave a smile and entered my apartment. He followed behind me and closed the door. I told him to wait in the living room while I go and change. My mom was probably still out with her boyfriend. I wasn't too worried about my mom being out so late. Though, I still hope she comes home soon. I walked down the hallway to my room and took a quick shower, then changed into some pajamas. I walked back out to the living room to see that Troy was still there. "I hope you don't mind staying. I just hate being alone in an apartment." I told him and sat down on the couch. I remembered the last time I was alone with a guy, and the outcome wasn't so pretty. Troy sat down on the other end and shrugged, "I used to share an apartment with a friend of mine. I don't mind being alone."

It's different for a guy. I thought and turned on the TV because the silence was killing me. I was feeling tired as I let out a yawn. "Don't fall asleep on me." I heard him say. I could feel my eyes closing and I tried my best to keep them open. "I won't." I mumbled, but eventually leaned against the armrest. The next morning, I awoke and I was in my bedroom. How did I get here? I let out a yawn and got out of bed, then entered the kitchen. There were two notes left on the kitchen counter - one from my mom and one from… Troy?

_Honey,_

_Working late again. See you around 10pm._

_-Mom_

I rolled my eyes at my mom's note. Her way of telling me that she'd be out on a date was: working late. Whenever my mom gets a new boyfriend, I'm always alone at the apartment. I crumpled her note and threw it in the trash, then proceeded to read Harry's note.

_Gabriella,_

_Thanks for falling asleep on me. __Don't__ do it again._

_-Troy_

_PS you weigh a TON._

How rude. I scowled at the note and turned it over to see something else that was scribbled on the back.

_PSS I was kidding._


	4. Chapter 3

Everything seemed to fall in to place. Every day, Troy would give me a ride back to the apartment and every friday, my mom seemed to "work late." Most days, I'd be home alone and would be doing my homework. Other days, I'd be hanging out with Zeke or Jason; sometimes both. I found it absurd that people thought I was dating both of them, but I'd ignore those people. Troy, I hardly hung out with after school since he'd spend those hours with his new girlfriend or at basketball practice. There was a school dancing coming up. It was homecoming. A month of school had already flown by so fast. Every girl was scrambling to find a date. "I've been to every school dance and they're all the same." I said with a sigh. Zeke, Jason, and I sat at our usual table in the cafeteria. I looked around at all the girls asking guys to be their dates. Zeke and Jason were each hoping for a girl to ask them. "You both should grow some balls and ask a girl yourself." I suggested, then giggled at their reaction. "Wait, have you two been asked to dance by a girl?"

They both shook their heads and told me that the girls would never approach them. I was a bit confused by their statement. Zeke and Jason were both cute guys. They were also sweet and fun to be around. Why wouldn't a girl want to go to a dance with them? "They're just all about asking Troy." Zeke said, answering the question in my mind. Sometimes I feel that Zeke could read minds or he's just good at reading facial expressions. "Troy doesn't have a girlfriend at the moment." Jason added. I turned towards Jason and asked him why. Jason shrugged and continued to eat his lunch. "That's a first." I muttered under my breath.

"Yeah, the first in high school history." Zeke said. While the three of us ate our lunch, I watched as Troy got up from his seat and make his way over to our table. "Why is he walking over here?" Jason asked. I just shrugged and took a sip of my drink. Troy sat down right beside me and placed his arms on the table. He leaned forward so it seemed like he had completely blocked Zeke and Jason out of the picture, then turned his attention towards me. "Have a date to homecoming?" he asked me. I looked at Zeke and Jason, then turned my attention towards him. "Yes, I do. I asked Jason this morning." I smiled, then got up from my seat and walked away as the smile slowly faded. I knew he was following right behind me. I could hear his footsteps catching up with me. He grabbed my arm and stopped me from reaching the entrance. I turned to look at his hand placement and into his eyes. "You're lying." he said.

I furrowed my eyebrows and shook my head. "No, I'm not." Zeke and Jason had followed us. They were both standing behind Troy. His eyes searched mine for answers and I just continued to hold my gaze until he released his grip. He stormed off as a few people watched him pass by. "You know you lied to him, right?" Jason motioned to Troy over his shoulder.

"Seven-thirty this Saturday?" I asked him.

Jason smiled, "Sure, I'll see you then."

"What about me?" Zeke asked.

"You can come along too. I can't go to homecoming without my best friends." I smiled as the bell finally rang to signal lunch was over. I'm pretty sure that Troy will talk to them during basketball practice. The three of us parted ways and I walked out the front entrance, then saw my mom's car waiting out front. _That's odd._ I thought to myself and walked up to my mom's car, then got in. "Hey honey. I got off of work early. What do you want to do today?" she asked me with a smile. I recognized that smile and rolled my eyes. "What happened?" I asked her.

"Nothing, now buckle up." she answered. I buckled myself in and she drove down the street. I told her about homecoming that was happening on Saturday and she immediately drove to the mall. Eventually my mom was going to tell me about what happened with her [ex] boyfriend. We arrived at the mall and entered one of the stores. I picked out a few dressed and then after trying them on, I finally decided on one. I couldn't remember the last time I went shopping with my mom. Maybe it was back when I actually liked to shop with my mom, and it was during the time when my dad was still living with us. Life was just simple back then. We bought the dress and drove back to the apartment. I saw the blue Camaro sitting out in the parking lot before we entered the building. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Troy was getting out. Our eyes only locked for a short moment and then he walked away as my eyes followed him out. I entered the elevator with my mom when she questioned me about who he was. "He's the guy that's been driving me home from school." I told her. I was still afraid to tell her that he was our neighbor. I _didn't_ want my mom to meet Troy.

Later that evening, I couldn't stop thinking about what happened earlier. Why would Troy ask me about homecoming if I constantly turn him away? Why would he be so persistent in asking a girl who's not interested in him? He must have a probable reason. I wondered if he liked me and didn't want to admit it. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I shook my head. The idea was ludicrous. There were a lot of other girls who were willing to go with him. Why would he settle for one? Zeke said so himself the kind of guy that Troy is.

When saturday came around, I was dressed and ready to go for homecoming. At seven-thirty, Jason picked me up in his car and drove to the school. "You look beautiful." he smiled as we both got out after he parked the car in the lot. I blushed and thanked him as we walked towards the gym entrance. Zeke was waiting for us near the snack table. "It was about time you two got here." Zeke said. "Wow, Gabriella, you look incredible." I thanked him and just smiled. I was glad to be in the company of my two best friends. The night was just about perfect. A few guys looked towards my direction and whispered words to one another. "Hey Gabriella, you should ditch those friends of yours and dance with one of us." A guy said. I rolled my eyes at him.

Vince Cooper was the captain of the football team and girls were head over heels in love with him. He was broad shouldered, had brown hair that was slightly spiked, and piercing blue eyes. Yeah, he was a good looking guy but in comparison to guys I've been with and seen, he doesn't stand a chance. "I don't dance with assholes like you, okay?" I said, grabbing Jason's hand and pulled him out to the dance floor. Vince and his buddies watched me dance with Jason. His eyes blazed with jealousy, but I ignored him. "I didn't think I'd come to homecoming this year." Jason confessed.

"Hey, homecoming isn't about getting dates. It's about having fun with your friends." I smiled. Zeke wasn't out on the dance floor with us, but was chatting up a storm with one of the girls from the cheerleading team. It was the same girl I had seen Troy with on the first day of school. "Who's Zeke talking to?" I looked over in Zeke's direction as Jason turned his head.

"That's Sharpay Evans. She's the head cheerleader and Troy's ex-girlfriend." Jason replied. Zeke and Sharpay were laughing. I assumed that they were either having fun or talking about Troy. "Is she nice?" I asked. Jason shrugged and told me that he didn't know April very well. He did mention that she had a brother who was a year older than we were. Suddenly, everything happened within seconds. My eyes had locked with the familiarity of blue eyes and I knew who had entered the gym. I swallowed and looked at Jason. His eyes had followed my gaze over to where _he_ was. Troy wore a white dress shirt with a black blazer and black pants. His hair was styled a lot differently than its usual side-swept do. He had come alone, _without _a date. I had the sudden urge to walk over to him, but I didn't want to leave Jason's side. I looked up into Jason's eyes and they told me to stay away. "Hey Jace." Troy greeted Jason with a smile. "Mind if I cut in?" Jason looked at me and I gave him a look which meant that I was going to be okay.

Jason cautiously walked away from Troy and I. I saw the smirk on Troy's face and rolled my eyes. "What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Pestering me with questions already?" He stifled a laugh and slightly shook his head. "I didn't even get the chance to compliment how beautiful you look tonight. Red is certainly your color." I rolled my eyes, not even thanking him for the compliment. A slow song began to play and everyone partnered up to dance to the song. He held out his hand towards me and smiled, "Can I have this dance?" I looked at his hand and then took it. He pulled me close towards him as he placed his hand on the square of my back. It was seemingly gentleman-like. He brought my arm up around his neck and I naturally linked my arms together. He placed his hands on my waist, then inched them closer together so that our bodies were almost touching. "Wow, the infamous Troy Bolton can slow dance? I never thought you had moves like this off the court." I teased.

He smiled and shrugged, "It's nothing special, really." In the light, I could see his eyes glisten. It was the way the light danced like fire in his eyes. I saw the same smoldering look in his eyes from a time that happened to me in the past. What was it about the kind of guy that Troy was that made me suddenly curious about him? He seemed to keep such a low-profile for a popular guy. Did he have secrets too? What was it about his egotistical nature that made him date countless numbers of girls? I assumed that he had questions about me and the way I act around guys. I have been with many guys in the past, but none like Troy. For a moment, it felt like Troy and I were the only two people in the entire room. Everyone just seemed to disappear. I hardly noticed the way he leaned in to kiss me, but before our lips touched, I pushed him away and shook my head. I quickly walked out of the gym and left him _again._ "Gabriella! Gabriella, wait!" I heard Troy's voice behind me and I began to run.

_"Come back here!" His voice called out after me. I ran and only turned my head once to see that he was still behind me. I ran out of the house. I didn't know where else to go. There was darkness all around me and there weren't many street lamps lined on the sidewalk. He called out again and I continued to run. Everywhere hurt. My sides, my legs, and yet, I kept running. I stopped when I thought that I was safe, but I knew I wasn't. I would never be safe from him._


	5. Chapter 4

I closed the door behind me to my apartment and leaned against it as I breathed heavily. My hair had fallen out of its bun and once I finally caught my breath, a loud knocking came at the door. _"Gabriella! Open the damn door!"_ The voice was inside my head again as I closed my eyes. I wanted the voice to go away. The door knob jiggled a bit and whoever it was had been trying to get it. "Gabriella, it's me." A familiarity in the sound of his voice came at the door. "No!" I screamed, but I was answering to the voice inside my head. Tears streamed down my cheeks as the pounding continued. "We need to talk." The voice came again, but it was clearer than the one in my head. "Just go away!" I called out to him.

The pounding lessened and came to an abrupt stop. I slid down to the floor and sat there crying. After a few minutes, I walked into the bathroom and took out the bobby pins. Mascara ran from my eyes and my hair was a mess. I took a shower that relaxed me a bit and then walked into my bedroom. I just wanted to sleep and never wake up. I glanced at the picture of my dad on the side table. Dad, I wish you were here. You'd know what to say to comfort me. I thought silently and laid down in my bed.

When monday came around, Zeke was the first to notice that something was wrong. He was already sitting down in his seat when I entered the classroom. He leaned over and whispered, "Is everything okay?" I bet some people have noticed my zombie stare. To the world, I looked "dead" and I felt that way. I could even barely get out of bed this morning. My mom had forced me to get out of bed when I complained that I wasn't feeling well.

Though, school was important to me but that wasn't even enough motivation. I just couldn't get the way Troy looked at me that night out of my head. I didn't answer Zeke as I continued to stare at my blank notebook. Class had begun and I miraculously survived my first hours of school before lunch. I sat with Zeke and Jason at our table, but I hardly said a word. "Hey Zeke." Sharpay, Troy's ex girlfriend, had walked up to our table with a smile. I later learned that she and Zeke had been talking all weekend since homecoming. "Whoa, you look-"

"Terrible? Like a zombie? Dead?" I interrupted.

"Well, if you fixed your hair a bit, maybe you'd look a little less dead." She sat down next to Zeke as Jason moved to the spot beside me. "Thanks." I sighed. I could hardly eat a single bite of my salad. "What happened to her?" I heard Sharpay ask Zeke and Jason. Both boys shrugged because they were wondering the same thing too. "Thank you for an amazing date Troy." A girl's voice rang out. I didn't have to look at her or at Troy to know that they were probably dating. Troy had found a new girl to date. Thank god.

"Mind if we join you?" The girl asked as she and Troy approached our table. "Hey Kelsi." Sharpay smiled. "Yeah, go ahead and join us." Kelsi and Troy took their seats in between Sharpay and Jason. Kelsi wasn't on the cheerleading team like Sharpay. She was in drama, but she was gorgeous. Who knew that Troy had a wide range of girl types to date. She had light brown hair and green eyes. I didn't dare look up from my food because I knew that Troy was directly across from me.

"Zeke, I need to talk to you _alone_." I emphasized the last word as I took my food and threw it in the garbage. Zeke stood up and followed me out of the cafeteria. We were alone out in the front of the school and sat on the bench. "What happened on Saturday?" he asked.

"You saw what happened. Troy danced with me and we almost kissed, but I pushed him away." I answered.

"Why did you push him away?"

"I-" I swallowed and looked down at my hands as the tears began to well-up in my eyes. My hands were trembling. I didn't want to tell Zeke or anybody about my past, but I knew I could trust Zeke. "I was in a situation like that before with another guy. I looked into Troy's eyes and saw- I saw something else- _someone_ else."

"Who did you see?"

"My ex boyfriend." Zeke didn't say anything and immediately, I knew he wanted me to elaborate. I did and so, I began to tell him my story.

**Three years ago - Freshman Year. San Francisco, CA.**

"Mom, I really hope that this is the last time. I don't want to move anymore." I was fifteen and the fall semester was already starting. I was fed up with having to make new friends and start over. I have been moving for the past five years. I couldn't stand to move anymore. We set our bags down in our new apartment. From where we were, I could see the Golden Gate bridge. It was going to be a beautiful sight, especially when it was dark outside and there was no fog. "I _promise_ honey. This will be the last time." My mom smiled, smoothing the stray hair on my head. She kissed the top of my head and walked into the kitchen to make lunch. I entered my new school that monday. The school was huge and there were many students. Lots of them were looking at me, but I hardly paid any attention to them. I sat alone during lunch because it was difficult for me to make new friends.

"You're the new girl, right?" A guy walked up to me with a smile on his face. He had brown hair and brown eyes. His smile was friendly as I just nodded. I didn't know what else to say to him. He was a year older than me. I learned that his name was Chad Danforth and he was a well-known guy around the entire school. They were _always_ the popular ones; the guys I met anyway. "I'm Gabriella." I said after he told me his name. He smiled, "You have a beautiful name. Where did you move from?" We became fast friends and talked to each other every single day. He was in a few of my classes and we always sat next to each other. We were truly inseparable.

**One year ago - Junior Year.**

Two years in the same city. That's a new record. I thought to myself while Ryan and I entered my apartment. My mom had been dating her so-called "boyfriend" for two years. It was more like an on and off relationship between the two of them. I had the entire apartment to myself for the weekend. Chad and I had been dating for two years. Everyone in the entire school new it. It was the middle of the spring semester and prom was coming up. _Maybe Chad will ask me._ I silently thought in my mind. "Are you going to stay here for long?" he asked me as he got into his car.

It was friday night and surely, we both didn't have any plans. "Honestly, I don't know. I _want_ to stay here." Chad was the only reason why I didn't want to leave San Francisco. He was the reason why I survived freshman year. I couldn't imagine life without him. Chad drove a red Ford Mustang. I think the color suited his personality nicely. He parked the car in the driveway and we entered the empty house. His parents were in Los Angeles for the weekend, meaning Chad had the entire house to himself. "Does it bother you that you're alone in the house?" I asked him as we sat down on his bed.

He shook his head and smiled, "I don't mind being alone. It's nice for a change, not having to listen to my parents' arguments. Also, it gives me an excuse to do this." He leaned in and kissed my lips. I happily kissed him back as he reached up and caressed my cheek. His lips moved to my neck and I knew that things were going too fast. I slightly pushed him away and shook my head. "I don't want to rush into anything." I said.

"Baby, we're not rushing into anything." he said. The words didn't match the look in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed me again. This time, it was more passionate than the first kiss and more rough. I pushed him away again and stood up from the bed. "C'mon baby, don't be that way." His voice sounded maniacal. His eyes were cold and dark. It was as if there was no life in them. He advanced towards my direction, reaching up with a single hand. I kicked him. Hard. I couldn't see where, but I ran. I couldn't run far enough and his hand wrapped tightly around my wrist. He threw me to the bed and I heard the sound of clothing being ripped. I screamed for help, but his hands were wrapped around my neck as he suffocated me.

Tears were brought to my eyes and I couldn't bring myself to look him in the face. "Take it… take it like the whore you are." He said into my ear. Those words stabbed me like a knife. Finally, I pushed him off of me and slapped him hard in the face. I knew it wasn't enough, but I ran for the front door. "Come back here!" Chad called after me. I ran and only turned my head to see that he was still behind me. I ran out of his house and down the street. I didn't know where else to go.

Darkness was all around me and not too many street lamps were lined on the sidewalk. He called out my name again and I continued to run. Everywhere hurt. My sides, my legs, and yet, I kept running. I stopped when I thought that I was safe, but I knew I wasn't. I would never be safe from him. I finally arrived at my apartment and closed the door behind me, then locked it. My mom emerged from the kitchen and saw me in a tattered dress with make-up running down my face. She walked up to me and hugged me as I cried in her arms. "I want to move mom. I want to leave this place." I said, looking up at her.

"We will leave as soon as we can honey." she said.

**Present**

"I never told my mom about Chad. To this day, she doesn't know about the events that happened that night." I told Zeke after finishing my story. I knew Zeke was overwhelmed, but to tell him the story was like a huge weight was lifted off of my chest. "Is Chad the reason why you won't trust Troy?" Zeke asked me. I nodded and Zeke wrapped a protective arm around me. I was thankful for an understanding person like Zeke. "I'm just afraid Troy is going to be _exactly_ like him." I said. The bell rang to signal lunch had ended and that's when Zeke had to part ways. I hugged him goodbye and watched him enter the building.

A few minutes later, Troy emerged from the building with Kelsi. "Gabby, hey." Kelsi greeted me with a smile and I guess I had to smile back. "Hey."

"What are you doing out here?" Kelsi asked.

"Waiting for a ride." I lied. I _didn't_ have a ride because my mom was still at work. "You can ride with us." Kelsi suggested. I looked at her and then at Troy who looked off in a different direction. Of course he couldn't bother to look me in the eyes after what happened at homecoming. I shook my head and said, "I shouldn't-"

"I insist. Any friend of Sharpay's is a friend of mine." She interrupted with a smile, pulling my hand off the bench while I grabbed my bag. She and I walked side by side as we followed Troy to his car, well, the blue Camaro. The three of us got in and Troy dropped Kelsi off at her place before driving to the apartment building. He parked the car in the lot and I thanked him for the ride before getting out. "Why didn't you answer the door?" he asked me as we stepped out into the elevator.

"You were the one knocking on the door?" I asked.

"I was just wondering why you ran out." The elevator stopped on our floor and we stepped out. We walked down the hallway to our apartments. "The infamous Troy Bolton… cares?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Just tell me why you ran out." he said.

"Have a good day Troy." I entered my apartment and slammed the door in his face before he could say anything. Why would Troy care if I ran out on him? I bet a lot of girls ran out on him before kissing him. I couldn't have been the first. The thought of him being concerned about me troubled me a bit. Why would some all-star captain of the basketball team care about me? I was nothing compared to him. I didn't want to confront Troy just yet about the story I had told Zeke. I didn't trust Troy, not yet anyways.


	6. Chapter 5

At least a month has passed and winter break was in a few weeks. I have chosen to avoid Troy altogether since that night. Only a few times have our eyes met in school, but we hardly spoke a work to one another. "What exactly happened between you and Troy?" Sharpay asked. The four of us were sitting at our table during lunch. "I ran out, that's all." I didn't want to tell Sharpay yet about my past relationship. I assumed that she'd tell Troy and Kelsi. "Admit it, Troy's an attractive guy and you've fallen for him." she smirked. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. As far as Sharpay knows, she had only seen Troy and I dance at homecoming before I ran out. She believed that I was in denial when I stated that I wasn't.

"What are you doing for winter break?" Jason asked me. I shrugged and told him that I planned on sleeping in. I truly had no plans to go anywhere. "Want to come with us to San Francisco?" Sharpay asked with a smile.

"I don't think I'll be able to go." If Sharpay knew the full story, she would know that San Francisco gave me a lot of bad memories. I'm glad that Sharpay understood when I told her that I couldn't go. "So, ready for that San Francisco trip?" Kelsi approached our table along with Troy.

"Gabriella won't be able to come with us." Sharpay said.

"Why not?" Kelsi got on my nerves sometimes and I can't fathom why Troy would dat a girl like her. "It's complicated." I replied.

"I doubt your situation actually _is_ Gabriella."

"I don't have time, alright?!" I stood up, grabbed my bag and stormed out of the cafeteria. My life had changed because of _him_. Even his name was a burden to me. I couldn't even be with any guy in school because of what happened to me when I was in a relationship with him. I was traumatized inside and no one understood how much it hurt. If I let myself show any signs of weakness, they'll know; _everyone_ will know, including Troy. I couldn't let myself think of Troy like that. I was afraid that if I fell for Troy, then-

"You stormed out of there pretty fast." Troy sat down on steps beside me. "You want to talk about it?"

"No, I don't _want_ to talk about it." I spat, a bit too harshly.

"Geez Gabs, I'm only trying to help. You can't ignore me for a month and then get mad at me." He stood up and began to walk in the direction of his car. I stood up and followed him. "Troy. Troy, wait!" I called after him as he stopped before he reached the car. He turned and faced me. "What?" His eyes were cold, just as Chad's had once been. His entire body became rigid and I stopped a few feet away, scared. I have never seen Troy like this before and I regretted what I had said earlier. I looked down and apologized for my behavior.

Unexpectedly, Troy reached out and touched my face and caressed my cheek. "Hey, it's okay." The tears rolled down my cheeks as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug. It was comforting _almost_. He rubbed my back as the tears fell onto his blue t-shirt. He pulled away and began to dry the tears from my eyes. "We can talk at my apartment." He suggested as I nodded. He opened the passenger door for me as I quietly uttered a thank you and got in his car. He was driving his sleek black car, which I later found out was an Aston Martin. I wondered how he could afford such an expensive car, but I shook the thought out of my head. "Why didn't you drive the Camaro?" I asked him.

He looked at me after he started the car and said, "I only drive beautiful women in this car." Women? He began to drive down the street and his statement suddenly made me curious. What exactly did he mean by 'women'? Was it that other girls he dated were _only_ girls? They were just as beautiful, but I couldn't help but wonder if Troy was warming up to me. I thought about the night of homecoming when it was Troy who came to my door, not Zeke or Jason. He parked the car in the lot and we went up to his apartment together.

"You can set your bag near the couch." he said and closed the door behind us. Troy's apartment was similar to mine, but only cleaner. The walls were a stale blue color. I set my bag down near the white couch in the living room and a picture on the shelf caught my eye. I walked over to the shelf and admired the picture. "Want anything to drink? Coffee? Tea? Water?" He called from the kitchen.

"Water is just fine, thank you." I called back. I went to the counter where he began to make himself a pot of tea. He gave me a glass of water and I took a sip. "Who's the guy in the picture?" I asked and motioned to the shelf behind me. I sat down on the bar stool as he rested his arms on the counter. "My best friend, Chad. He used to come by a few times a year, but last I heard, he's in San Francisco." he said. Troy and Chad knew each other, even worse, they were best friends. I nodded and then he began to tell me countless stories about him. He and Chad would play basketball together growing up, even though Chad was a year older. I guess they had a good relationship with one another.

"He'd tell me about this girl that he met sophomore year. 'She's a beautiful girl.' He'd say, and his eyes would light up when he talked about her. He said that he messed up senior year with her. I don't know what happened. He never really told me when I asked." He said, then walked over to check on his pot of coffee. "Also, he'd often tease me about my cooking."

"You cook?" I asked while he poured himself a cup.

He shrugged, "Yeah, not a _big _deal really."

"I think it is." I muttered and looked down at the glass. "Maybe you should cook for me sometime."

"Me? I'd rather not." He a took a sip from his cup and I rolled my eyes. "You won't let me into your apartment."

"Well, maybe you can cook for me when I'm here." I smiled. He told me that he would think about it and I simply nodded. This seemed to be a different side to Troy than what I've seen at school. I never really noticed that when he smiled, there would be a sparkle in his eyes. It was like the way a child's eyes would light up on Christmas day. It was the cutest thing. _No Gabriella, don't let yourself think that way._ My subconscious told me and she was right. I remember how I fell for Chad before everything went downhill. I had thought about Chad's gorgeous brown eyes and his smile. It was those exact features that have fooled me. "Who do you stay with in your apartment?" he asked.

"My mom, but when she's working 'late', I have the entire apartment to myself." I answered. My mom was going out on one of her dates tonight since it was friday. "Well, if you're ever feeling lonely, I'm just across the hall." He smiled, then made his way over to the couch. I sat down with him and placed the glass on the coffee table. "So, talk to me. Why did you storm out of the cafeteria?" I couldn't just tell Troy the full story. I didn't trust him, but he let me into his apartment. "Sharpay suggested that I go with them to San Francisco, but I told her that I wouldn't be able to make it." I said.

"It's _San Francisco_ Gabriella." he said.

"It's more complicated than that _Troy_. I can't just- The city brings back a lot of bad memories, that's all." I sighed and looked down at my hands.

"What happened?"

"I kissed a guy and fell for him. I thought he was the guy he said he was, but turns out that he's a total ass. I just figured that if I kissed you, _certain_ things would happen."

"Not _all_ guys are like that Gabs." he said. "Every guy is different."

"How do you know that?"

"Why do you think I haven't tried anything with you? Why do you think I ran after you when you left the gym at homecoming? Why did I come to your apartment that night? Most guys wouldn't do that. Yeah it hurt when you didn't kiss me both times." he said.

"There's more than the whole kissing part Troy." I said.

"Then tell me the full story Gabriella." he said.

"Why? Why are you _so_ concerned about knowing what my story is?"

"It's because-" I waited for his answer, but no other words came out. I shook my head and stood up as I grabbed my bag. I heard him mutter a few words and turned to face him. "What did you say?"

"You're going to make me say it out loud, aren't you? You don't understand the kind of guy that I _am_ Gabriella." he said. "I have a reputation to keep. I break girls' hearts and new ones come flocking to me. You are the first girl that's only pushed me away. I have never wanted a girl more. No matter how many times you try to run away from me or turn away before we kiss, I'm always going to chase you. When I came to your apartment that night, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I care about you Gabriella."

Both of us were just realizing this now. I was blind to see that Troy actually cared for me and he was blind of the fact that he _did_ care. I just couldn't believe the words that had come out of his mouth. I shook my head and continued to utter the words 'no' and 'not true'. I turned and opened the door to his apartment, then closed the door on the way out. I entered my apartment and closed the door behind me, then leaned against it. For a split second, I sensed that he was at the door. I could imagine his hand reaching up to knock, but then moved away as I heard the door close from across the hall.

Tears began to form and they streamed down my cheeks as I dropped my bag to the ground. I slid down to the floor and cried. As much as I wanted to be in denial, I was helplessly falling for Troy Bolton.


	7. Chapter 6

Winter break had gone by in a flash and the gang was back together. Sharpay gushed about San Francisco with Zeke and Jason adding a few favorite moments about the trip in-between. I could tell that the three of them had a lot of fun. Kelsi didn't go through on going with them to San Francisco. I heard from the other students at school that Troy had broken up with her and that she was too depressed to join. I figured Troy and Kelsi wouldn't last that long, even if they've only been dating for two months. Troy hadn't dated another girl since the break up. "I'm worried about Kelsi." Sharpay said. "She hasn't been showing up to any of dress rehearsals for the musical. She's the pianist for the musical. She and Troy broke up two weeks ago. Why is she making it such a big deal?"

Troy entered the cafeteria and we made immediate eye contact, but he went to sit with his friends. Troy and I haven't spoken since that friday before winter break. "Are you sending each other mixed signals or what?" Zeke asked me.

"I don't think they are." Jason said.

"I agree." Sharpay and Zeke were now dating. I could honestly say that they were a cute couple, much cuter than when Sharpay had been dating Troy. "I don't know what it is either." I lied. I didn't want them finding out about my new discovering. Troy and I had feelings for each other. Though, Troy made it more apparent while I kept it to myself. I remember the after math of that night. My mom had come home from her date to find me eating out of the ice cream tub. I simply replied that I had a craving for Rocky Road ice cream, but then later confessed that it was boy trouble.

_"Honey, I'm sorry but we can't move until after your school ends." My mom smoothed my hair as I sighed and continued to eat out of the ice cream tub. Chad and I were officially broken up. "We can go out for dinner." She suggested and I placed the tub on the table. I stood up and walked to my room. I slammed the door behind me and fell onto my bed. It was that very moment that I promised myself I would never show any guy I was weak, and that I was going to be strong. I wasn't going to let any guy date me because of the fact they wanted to get into my pants. I wasn't going to let that happen, never again._

I lived by that promise for almost a year. Zeke could see behind my lies, but he didn't confront me about it. Lunch ended and we parted ways. I walked to the entrance, but heard my name being called out. I turned and saw that Kelsi had jogged to catch up to me. "Hey Gabs, can I talk to you?" she asked me. Kelsi and I haven't been exactly close since the day we first met. I nodded and followed her outside. We sat down on the bench. "I just want to talk to you because I'm curious about what you and Troy have been up to lately." she said.

"We haven't been talking at all Kelsi." I told her. "I'm just not interested in him."

"Oh good. Just continue to do what you're doing and _stay_ away from him." With that being said, she stood up and walked back into the building. _That was… odd._ If Troy and Kelsi broke up, why would she want me to stay away from him? I shook the thought out of my head and waited patiently on the bench. Fifteen minutes slowly ticked by when I saw the blue Camaro park in the lot. A tall guy with blond hair stepped out of the car and walked up to the school entrance. "I'm looking for someone named Gabriella." the guy said. His blond hair was side-swept across his forehead and he had the bluest of eyes, similar to the ocean. "I'm Gabriella." I said after a minute of silence.

"Come with me." he said.

"I don't know you." I told him. The guy rolled his eyes and picked me up as he threw me over his shoulder. I yelped as I was heaved onto his shoulder. He slung my bag over the other shoulder and carried me out to his car. "Put me down!" I pounded against his back, but obviously, he didn't.

Finally, he set me down near the Camaro and put my bag into the backseat. "Get in." he ordered and I nodded, then got in. He was so demanding. I wasn't sure how Troy was going to feel about this. I buckled myself in as he started the car. "Who are you?" I asked him. We were driving to an unknown place to a part of the city I didn't recognize. "Ryan Evans, a friend of Troy's." he said. "I'm also Sharpay's older brother, if you were wondering." I glanced over at Ryan and admired his features from the passenger seat. He had soft features and kind eyes. He and Sharpay did look a lot a like, except he was older. Why was he giving me a ride and not Troy? Where was Troy?

"He told me to pick you up." He said aloud, quickly glancing at me and then focused his eyes on the highway. "What?" I asked.

"Troy. He told me to give you a ride back to my place, and don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." Was he capable of reading my mind too? I swear, I should stop being curious. He stopped the car in front of a house. He got out of the car and I grabbed my bag from the backseat. I followed him towards the house.

It was a beautiful house. Two-story with a few large glass windows outlining the exterior of the house. The entire room was spacious. To my right was the living room and on my left was the bathroom. There was a staircase leading to the second floor where I assumed most of the rooms were. Ryan showed me every part of the whole house. I barely knew this guy and he was already giving me a tour. "This is the garage." He opened the door and I saw Troy's Aston Martin sitting inside. There was a covered car beside it and that made me curious as to who owned that car. "Would you like anything to drink?" he asked and entered the kitchen. I followed him and sat down on the barstool. "I'm fine, thank you." I turned my head to see pictures plastered on the fridge. I recognized Troy and Sharpay in a few of them. Zeke and Jason were included in some other pictures as well, but one caught my eye. "Who's that guy in the picture with you?" I asked and motioned to the one near the handle.

Ryan poured himself a cup of coffee and took a quick sip. He picked up the picture and looked at it, then set it in front of me. "Chad Danforth. He's a friend of mine. I was visiting him in New York, along with Troy in the summer." he replied. Chad Danforth. The name hit me hard and the image of him began to slowly process my mind.

_"You are nothing but a worthless bitch." A slap came across my face as the tears streamed from my eyes, falling onto the carpeted floor. It was prom night. Chad and I had been dancing together, but he walked away for only a few minutes to see me with another guy. The other guy and I were only friends, but Chad believed that it was more than that. "You are mine, and no one else's." His hand was wrapped around my neck as I nodded. He cautiously looked in both directions before he pulled away and entered the room where prom was being held. I coughed while the tears continued to roll down my cheeks. I wiped my tears away and went back into the room._

This picture was recent then. I picked up the picture to see that Chad's features hadn't changed much, except that he had matured and cut his hair. He still had the same brown eyes, brown hair, and deceiving smile. I handed Ryan the picture and he put it back on the fridge. "Have you talked to him lately?" It came out more quiet than I had expected and cleared my throat again. "Have you seen him recently?"

"Yeah, I was in San Francisco with him." I swallowed, just thinking about Sharpay's invitation. If I had decided to go to San Francisco, I would've run into him. Ryan directed me towards the bathroom when I asked where it was.

"Ryan! Ryan Evans!" I heard the front door slam as I emerged from the bathroom. "You were _supposed_ to pick me up an hour ago."

"Sorry Chad." Ryan shrugged and took another sip of his coffee, then turned his back away from the guy. "Sorry… _Chad_? What happened to 'I'll pick you up Chad'?" I heard the other guy say.

Emerging from the hallway, the other guy had picked up a mug and poured himself a cup of coffee. When he turned towards my direction- "Gabriella?" The mug fell from his hand and onto the floor.


	8. Chapter 7

I stood, frozen in my place. My heart beat loudly against my chest and suddenly the room was spinning. I felt light headed, but didn't dare move from my spot. I needed to take a seat, but I was afraid. "_Dammit, Chad!_" I heard Ryan shout from the kitchen after Chad had dropped the mug. The floor was stained were coffee and shards from the mug were everywhere. I was just as surprised to see Chad, standing before me in the flesh. "Chad…" His name sounded foreign to me all of a sudden. I had known him for three years, well I thought I did. He was suddenly a stranger to me. it seemed like he was just a figment of my imagination. If I closed my eyes and and opened the, he would disappear. I did just that, but he wast still standing right before me.

It wasn't a dream, not even a bad nightmare. It was worse. It was reality. "You two… know each other?" Ryan asked as he brought out a mop, a broom, and a dustpan. He carried a bucket of water and soap in his other hand. "Yeah, when she lived in San Francisco." Chad answered for me. Why now? Why would Chad be here in Los Angeles? I doubt it was to see me. After all, I was the one who left him. Maybe he's here to see his friends. Yeah, that's it. "How've you been Gabriella?"

To hear him call my name was like a stab to the heart. "I've been good. How about you?"

"Good. It's great to see you. I mean, you look beautiful." Was I not beautiful when we dated? Sure I have changed freshman year, but I don't think I was ugly. I was more fresh-faced then. I just nodded and ran a hand through my hair. I cleared my throat and shifted my weight a bit. "So, what brings you to Los Angeles?" I asked, then placed my hands in my pockets. I sensed that there was tension between us. I wanted to relieve the tension, but all I keep thinking about was what happened a year ago.

"Just visiting." he casually replied. "Ryan and I are going to a party this saturday. Want to join us?"

"I'll uhm, think about it." I said, then grabbed my bag and asked Ryan to drive me home. Ryan nodded and we walked out to the driveway. We got in his car and he drove to my apartment. I thanked him, but he grabbed my arm before I got out. "You alright? You seemed a bit tense back there." he said. I nodded, then looked into his blue eyes. I could sense that he was concerned about my well-being too. The look in his eyes were the same as Troy's had been back at his apartment. "You sure? I mean, we could talk if you want. I'm all ears."

"I'm fine. "You don't have to be concerned about me. I already have enough people worrying about me. I don't need another." He released his grip and I stormed into my apartment building. This was why I couldn't show that I was weak. Chad was their best friend, and I couldn't just simply the Ryan and Troy everything. Everyone was going to start asking questions. Their curiosity got on my nerves and sometimes I wondered if mine got on theirs. I stepped into the elevator, but before they closed, an arm slipped through to stop the doors. Troy stepped in and then the doors closed. We were both standing two feet away from each other. We hardly made any eye contact or sound as we rode the elevator to our floor. It only reminded me of the first day we met.

Funny how it feels like it was yesterday when I met his blue eyes. The elevator stopped at our floor and we both walked out, still being silent. We entered our separate apartments and closed the door. The rest of the week had gone by in a flash. It was already friday and my friends were making plans for the weekend. "Guess who's having his annual birthday bash tomorrow night." Sharpay said sarcastically.

From the tone of her voice, I could easily tell who she was talking about. Troy. Was that the party Ryan and Chad were inviting me to? I still haven't told any of my friends about seeing Chad earlier this week. "He only invites the popular people." Jason said. "Well, he invited us because we're his friends." Troy entered the cafeteria with a girl slung underneath his arm. She was a brunette. "Who's that?" I asked Sharpay.

"Jamie. New girl. She just moved here from Austin, Texas and she's a new addition to the cheer team." Sharpay answered. Troy had seemed to move onto a different girl so fast. Its as if his previous exes didn't exist. I wonder how Kelsi feels about Jamie, after all, she did tell me to stay away from Troy. I did just that. I just nodded and looked down at my food. "Hey everyone!" Kelsi smiled and walked over to our table.

"Hey." We all muttered quietly. Kelsi and I were friends, but I wouldn't consider us close friends. "Gabriella, why the long-"

"Hey Sharpay. I'm guessing you heard about Troy's birthday tomorrow night." Jamie, Troy's new girlfriend, interrupted Kelsi with a smile. "Yeah, I did." Sharpay smiled.

"Are you planning on going? I mean, I know that you and Troy dated once, so-"

"I'll definitely be there." Sharpay interrupted. Jamie nodded, then walked back to the table where Troy had sat. "Gabs, you seem a little down. Maybe you should go to the party. It'll be a lot of fun." I knew Sharpay was trying her best to cheer me up. I couldn't get my mind off of the only moment Troy and I had after not talking to each other for a month. Also, I didn't want to mention to anyone about Troy caring. They would probably laugh at me if I told them. "Sure, I'll go." I managed a smile, but they knew the smile didn't fully reach up to my ears. Sharpay smiled, "Great. I'll pick you up at your apartment."

After lunch, Zeke walked out with me and we sat down on the steps. "Are you okay?" he asked. I knew why he was out here, not only to keep me company but to be there for me as a friend. I sighed, "No." He fell silent and I told him what happened earlier that week. "So you believe that Chad's the reason to come here is for you?" I nodded in reply and looked down at my hands. I didn't want to cry in front of Zeke, but there was no stopping the tears from falling. He wrapped an arm around shoulders and rubbed my arm. "You don't have to go to the party if you don't want to. No one is forcing you to go." he said. But I want to. I thought silently and it was as if he knew what my answer would be. "Just whatever happens, be careful."

I nodded, "Thanks Zeke."

"Any time." he smiled. I heard the doors behind us close and Troy descended the steps, then walked out to his car. "I'll give you a ride home." Zeke suggested.

"What about your class?" I asked as we both stood up and began to walk towards his car. He shrugged and smiled, "Substitute _and_ we're reviewing for a test anyway, so it doesn't matter." I smiled and we arrived at his car. Zeke, unlike Troy or Ryan, drove a black Ford F-150. We got into the truck and he drove down the street to apartment. "You drive a truck too?" I asked, clearly remembering that he had driven a car when he picked me up to go to the party. "It's my dads. He's letting me borrow it for the week." He answered with a smile.

On the ride to my apartment, Zeke and I shared some laughs. If it doesn't work out with Troy, maybe I should consider dating Ryan. He was a few years older, but age didn't matter. There was no possible way I could be with Zeke since he's so happy with Sharpay. Although Zeke and I constantly cracked jokes, there was something missing that seemed to spark in Troy.

Troy and I hardly had some chemistry. Every time I looked into his eyes, I saw Chad. Though, I couldn't forget that moment we had in his apartment. The way his eyes lit up when he smiled and the fact that he cared about me was something I would never expect from someone like him. Zeke seemed to be a bit more reserved than Troy, but would occasionally show his fun side. He and I shared our biggest secrets; his was the fact that he knows how to bake. Troy, well he was _always_ a fun guy. Zeke parked the truck in front of the building. I didn't want to say goodbye just yet. "Are you going to the party?" I asked him.

"Troy would want his friends there." he said.

"I would want you there." I smiled, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the ride. I'll see you monday." I got out of his truck and went up to my apartment. As soon as I reached my floor, a note was plastered on the door.

_Gabriella,_

_Come over tonight at seven._

_Troy_


	9. Chapter 8

Ten minutes before seven, I was standing outside Troy's apartment. It was the night before his big birthday bash. Why did he want me to come over tonight? Maybe he put two and two together. Maybe he discovered the girl Chad was talking about is me. So many thoughts ran through my mind. I reached my hand up and stood idle for a moment. Why would he want to speak with me? After all, he _has_ a girlfriend. Emotions of jealousy came into my mind, and I quickly let go of the thoughts. Why was I feeling this way? It then occurred to me that I was slowly falling for Troy. What? I didn't even kiss him.

I thought about the immediate attraction when I saw him in the hallways before class began after the first day we met. The way his eyes lit up when he saw me, always approaching me with a smile on his face. The way his hair looked when he had gotten out of bed and never bothered to fix it. Why am I falling for someone who didn't want me? Or maybe, he did? I shook my head, then proceeded to knock on the door. The door opened and there Troy stood. He was dressed in a blue flannel shirt that was slightly unbuttoned and his sleeves were rolled up. It was a protruding V-neck style so that I could get a sneak peek of what he had underneath. He wore blue jeans and I noticed a leather band around his wrist. I have never noticed it before, but I figured it could've been hidden when his sleeves were rolled down or when he wore his jackets.

To make matters worse, an idea was plastered in my mind to kiss him with much passion and push him against the wall while taking of his shirt to reveal- "Hey, you came over. I didn't think you would." Troy said, interrupting my thoughts. "Come in." I entered his apartment and he closed the door behind me. Inside, it smelled like tomato sauce and a bit of onion. "I made spaghetti for dinner." I followed him into the dining area where everything had been set. I was surprised by the presentation of the food. Troy sure seemed to outdone himself. We sat down at the table and began eating. The food was fantastic. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?" I asked him.

"My mom. I would help her in the kitchen whenever she was making our food." I later learned that Troy had been influenced by his mom, but also, he talked fondly of his dad. It was his dad who had put Troy though all the rigorous basketball training because his dad was a basketball player back in high school as well. It was nice to have a quiet chat with Troy, but between the two of us, hardly any words were exchanged between us. Is this what it had come down to? We ignored each other for so long, it seemed as if we've run out of things to say.

"How's things with Jamie?" I asked. There was a sudden ache in my heart when I said her name. I didn't think it would hurt at all to see Troy with another girl, but I figured it would since my feelings for him had grown. Troy shifted a few of the noodles on his plate before he ate a bite. He shrugged, "Things are good, I guess." He guesses? He seemed so happy during lunch. Even J- _she_ looked happy to be with him, unless Troy was holding back from telling the truth. "Why's that?" I prodded. You know the statement, curiosity killed the cat? Well, I feel like I've surpassed nine lives. "Can I ask you something? I mean, it's just I haven't been able to… open up to anyone recently and it's something I need to get off my chest." he said.

I nodded and allowed for him to continue. "Have you ever wanted someone _so_ badly and you do everything you can to get their attention, but all they do is push you away? So you decide to make up for the lost time by spending it with your friends or other people." I felt like his question was like a gun pointed straight at me. I looked down at my plate, biting my lip. "I understand where you're coming from. If you really like this person Troy, you should ask them out." I uttered the last part before I took a sip of water.

"Like on a date?"

I looked up at him and gave him a shocked expression. "Have you ever gone out on a date before Troy?"

"Multiple times, but this… this girl is different. I don't know _how_ to ask her out. I mean, most girls would suffice with hanging out at my apartment or going to their house to- well, you know. She's nothing like the girls I've dated. She's beautiful, smart, and I don't think I could ever have the chance to be with her. Even if I was given one, I feel like she would turn me down or even worse, walk away." He looked down at his plate and sighed.

"Just be direct Troy." I said. I just realized most long conversations Troy and I had were at his apartment. When he didn't say anything, "Troy-"

"Gabriella, will you go out with me?" He interrupted before I could get another word out. When I couldn't give a response, he repeated his question. I stood up and walked out of the apartment. I needed some air. A walk would be nice. I thought and went to the elevator. The doors opened and I stepped in, but Troy arrived before the doors closed. "Gabriella, talk to me." he said, but I didn't look at him. He made me dinner. He cooked for me. He _cooked_ for me. He welcomed me into his home with no intention to sleep with me. "You can't walk out on me again." he continued. The doors opened and I stepped out, but he followed me towards the entrance. "Gabriella. Gabriella!" I began to walk even faster down the block. I didn't turn my head, but I knew he was following me. I could hear the sound of his footsteps hitting the concrete ground.

He grabbed my arm and turned my body towards his direction. Both hands were placed around my arms. He looked into my eyes. His blue eyes were searching for answers, reasons as to why I walked out. "Troy, I-"

"You can _trust_ me Gabs." His voice was quiet and the wind suddenly picked up. The tears began to form and roll down my cheeks as I shook my head. "Gabby, please. Talk to me. I'm your _friend_." When has he ever been a friend to me? It suddenly hit me. Through all the times my friends weren't there for me, Troy was. _He_ was the one who came to my apartment; _he_ was the one who stated that he cared. _He_ trusted me, but I couldn't trust him. "We can't be friends Troy." I said. The words stabbed him like a knife as he dropped his arms. I turned and walked down the street. _We can't be friends because I'm falling for you._ I finished the thought in my mind.

I left _him._ I left Troy alone on the sidewalk, just like I had left Chad. Obviously, there were two different reasons. I couldn't go back to my apartment. Troy would be there. I walked down the block and saw a familiar black truck parked in the driveway in front of a condo. Zeke. I instantly thought, then approached the condo. I walked up to the door and immediately wiped away the tears that had escaped. I reached up and knocked on the door, then waited a minute or two before the door opened.

"Gabriella? What are you doing here?" Zeke was surprised to see me. I couldn't blame him. I came to his place unannounced. "I need to talk with you." I told him as he nodded, then allowed me to come in. His parents were both working. He made me a cup of coffee and we sat down on the couch in the living room. "Tell me what happened." Without hesitation, I told him. I told him _everything_ that happened this week. From when Ryan picked me up at school to a run-in with Chad and lastly, I told him about what happened recently with Troy. "So the reason why you don't want to be friends with Troy is that you're_ falling_ for him?" he asked. "Why don't you just accept the date with him?"

"It's not that simple Zeke. Every time I look into Troy's eyes, I see Chad. The Chad that practically ripped my heart out and stopped on it, the Chad that _only_ wants to have sex with me above all other things. You know _they're_ best friends, and if Troy finds out-" I sighed. "_That's_ what I see in Troy's eyes, but then I have a thought that Troy's not like that. He's honestly a nice guy, second to you in fact." I chuckled lightly, but then went back on a more serious note. "I'm just conflicted with the idea that I'm going to get hurt again like the first time."

"Gabs, the second will never be like the first unless _you_ choose to make it that way. If you do like Troy, give it a shot. It's better to try than to not have tried and regret making that decision." Zeke was right. He was always right. I nodded and took a sip of my coffee. Zeke allowed for me to stay the night. He lent me one of his shirts to borrow for sleeping. He grabbed a pillow from his bed and a blanket from the closet. "Thanks again Zeke." I smiled.

Zeke smiled, "No problem Gabs." We said our good nights and he went down the hallway to his room. I positioned myself comfortably on the couch and wrapped the blanket around my body. Yet, I couldn't sleep comfortably that night. Thoughts of Troy went wild and I figured that I should give him another chance. The next morning, Zeke drove me back to my apartment. I returned the shirt to him and thanked him for allowing me to spend the night. I went back up to my apartment, but before I entered, another note was left on the door.

_Gabriella,_

_I'm sorry about what happened last night. I shouldn't have asked you to go out with me. Maybe it was too soon? Or maybe you just didn't feel that way. Anyway, I broke up with Jamie. It wasn't working out. I never really told her the real reason why I broke up with her. I didn't want her to know that I cared about someone else. I'm still open to go out with you, but I'm not forcing you too._

_Well, I hope to see you tonight. If not, I understand and we can go back to normal. Avoiding each other. Completely. Maybe you might not trust me yet, but I entrust you with the extra key to my apartment. I'll be staying with Ryan and Chad's in town, so I'll be able to catch up with him. I might be staying for a few days, but who really knows, right?_

_For now, I guess this is goodbye._

_Troy_

_PS what__ever__ you do… DON'T fall asleep on me._

I laughed at the PS statement below and smiled a bit, but then the smile soon faded when I realized that I was the one who caused Troy to leave. He was never going to come back. Well, I wouldn't say never. I contemplated on whether or not I should attend the party tonight. I picked up my phone and waited. After two rings, a voice picked up. "Sharpay, I'll see you tonight."


	10. Chapter 9

Troy's big birthday bash was tonight. Almost everyone was invited, well, it was a party full of popular students. Sharpay picked me up from my apartment and we were just now arriving at the party. There were a few cars lined up and down the street in front of Ryan's house. I clearly saw some of the guests through the glass windows. There were a lot of people I didn't know when Sharpay and I walked into the room. "There's our gorgeous best friend." Zeke smiled and greeted me with a hug. Jason did the same. I was thankful that they were here. I didn't think I'd be able to survive going to the party alone.

"What made you change your mind?" Ryan walked up to me and led me away from my friends. I shrugged, "I wanted a night out. I just can't stay home all day." He smiled, then asked if I wanted a drink but I shook my head. He shrugged as he grabbed a cup from the table. "You are the most beautiful person in this room. I hope you realize that." he told me and I just blushed. Over the entire week, I learned a lot about Ryan. He sometimes kept to himself, but he was a great singer and dancer. He has his moments to make people laugh and there were times when he can be such a romantic. He was just so easy to get along with and I enjoyed his company, as much as I enjoyed-

The image of Troy appeared in my mind: his brown hair, bright and playful blue eyes, and his charming smile. I hadn't seen Troy since dinner last night and now I felt guilty. He wanted me more than any guy did in school. I could picture his laughs when he told stories of the adventures with his friends. His presence alone was enough to make me feel weak at the knees and make my heart race. "Is everything alright?" Ryan's voice brought me back to reality as I nodded, then took his cup and gulp down the rest of his beer. "Let's dance." I giggled and took his hand. I pulled him to the dance floor and began to dance with him.

"Gabs, I think you've had a little too much to drink." Ryan said. Sure, I had a few drinks too much but I had to forget about-

"I should take her home." I heard a guy's voice. I turned to see who it was, but I was seeing double. There was a small exchange in words before I was picked up in someone's arms. Boy was _he_ strong. I fought him to put me down and told him I could walk just fine. Of course, he didn't listen. The last I remember was being placed into a black care before blacking out. The next morning I awoke with a pounding headache. I touched my head as I furrowed my eyebrows together. "Here, this might help." I blinked a few times to see Troy beside the bed with his hand held out to me. Two pills sat in his hand. Ibuprofen. I reached out and took them from him while he handed me a glass of water.

I gulped them down and just sat for a minute in bed. I realized that I was in my bedroom. I figured that Troy had driven me home last night. I could barely remember anything that happened. "Thanks." I muttered, then took another sip.

"Hope you don't mind that I put your dress in the laundry." He said, the immediately left the room. Confused by that statement, I looked down and where a dress had once been, a blue flannel shirt had taken its place. I noticed that it was the same shirt Troy had worn last night when he cooked me dinner. It smelled of the cologne he wore. I ran a hand through my hair to figure out what happened last night. Maybe Troy would know. I walked out of the room and found Troy in the kitchen making breakfast. "How did you get into my apartment?" I asked him and sat at the dining table.

"You had your keys in your purse." he said. I set the glass on the table as I circled the rim with my finger. "What happened last night?" Troy wore a black t-shirt that outlined his muscles underneath. From where I sat, I watched him scramble two eggs and pour them into the pan. I was lost in my thoughts from admiring his muscles when I barely heard his response. "You just got really drunk, danced with Ryan, and I took you home before anything bad happened. After I took you home, I gave you some clothes to wear. I wanted to give you some clothes that you'd wear, but I'd have the hardest time looking through your closet." he smirked. "I didn't want you to sleep in a tight dress either." He put the finished the scrambled eggs on the plate and proceeded to fry the bacon.

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say. I just looked down at the glass and then he placed the plate of food before me. He gave me a fork and I thanked him, then began to eat my food. "I thought you were staying with Ryan and uhm… what's his name?"

"Chad." He took a sip from his mug and shrugged. "Yeah, he's changed since the last time we hung out. I mean, he's been acting real weird lately. He keeps mentioning this girl, but he never tells me her name." I just nodded and continued to eat my food. "About last night, I'm so-"

"I got your note Troy, and I forgive you. It's just happening so fast." I interrupted, then looked down at the plate.

"Well, we can start with one step at a time." he said.

"How?"

"For starters, you can tell me about your past. I mean, that's if you trust me enough to tell me." I figured he would want to hear more about my past. After a minute of silence, I began to tell him my story. "You're right about Chad. He _did_ change." I told him everything from the reason of why we move to meeting Chad in San Francisco to the reason why we moved out of San Francisco. I told him _everything_, except for how I feel about him. I _did_ trust Troy. I trusted him from the beginning. I trusted him when he took me home on the first day of school. It felt like I owed him the time we never spent together.

"Look, I know Chad's your best friend and the things I could be saying aren't true, but they are. You know him better than I do, and I get that. I don't know what happened to him Junior year and why he's the way that he is, but I trust you Troy."

"Which means…?"

"I'll go out with you Troy." I told him. He looked at me with a surprised look on his face. I knew what he was going to ask me, and I just nodded. Most importantly, I trusted Troy with my heart.

. . .

"Promise me you'll keep your eyes closed?" Troy asked me as we stood outside of his apartment. It was Valentine's Day and Troy had surprised me at school with a bouquet of roses. Every girl became envious of me, but I didn't see any reason to me. After all, they did date Troy before I did. We weren't together [officially] but we were just close friends. After school, he had taken me to the movies and now it was evening. Of course, we hadn't had any dinner yet and I was anxious to see what Troy was hiding from me. "I promise." I smiled.

"Good. Now, close your eyes." He said and I did what I was told. I heard the door opened to his apartment and he took my hand, then led me inside. I kept my eyes closed for what seemed to be the longest time. I knew I had run into a few obstacles on the way because I continuously heard Troy utter a few words and let out a chuckle or two. I knew we were clear of those obstacles when he finally said, "Okay, you can open your eyes." I opened my eyes to a candlelight dinner set-up. Food had already been made and were placed on the plates. "Happy Valentine's Day Gabs." he smiled. I reached over and gave him a warm hug. "Thank you Troy! It's absolutely gorgeous." I smiled. "Did you do all this?"

"All for you." He pulled back one of the chairs and I sat in the seat. He sat across from me and we began to eat. It was such a beautiful evening. The moon was high in the sky and there was something about the atmosphere that made it much more romantic. "Never took you for a romantic guy Troy." I smirked.

He shrugged and smiled, "I don't show it to all of the girls I date."

"So, I'm the only girl you've ever done this for?"

"Well, I practiced with my mom a few times, but yeah…" He sounded embarrassed and I reached over to touch his hand, then gently caressed it. I wanted to reassure him that there was no need to be embarrassed. "I appreciate all that you've done for me Troy. You're truly a great friend." I looked into his bright blue eyes and smiled. "You have no idea how much this means to me." It meant a lot knowing that there would be a guy out there who cares a lot about me.

"Good because afterwards, I was thinking we could just talk." I raised an eyebrow at him and wondered if he was actually serious about that. He let out a chuckle and said, "I was teasing you Gabs, chill out. I mean, if that's what _you_ want to do." I actually didn't know what to do. Prom was coming up in a few weeks and I wasn't sure on who I'd be going with. "How about to make up for the lost time we never spent together or wish we spent together, you can be my date to prom?"

"This is the best way to ask me to prom?"

He shrugged, "Okay, I"ll just wait until the week of-"

"No, I'd love to go to prom with you Troy." I smiled as I interrupted him.

"Never thought you'd say yes."

"Why would I say yes?"

"Why would you want to go with a guy like me?"

"I like you Troy." I would go anywhere with you. I added silently and smiled. He knew that I was hiding something from him, but I didn't want to say anything aloud. I was afraid that even though he could possibly feel something for me, he would turn things around and act like Chad. "I like you too Gabriella." He smiled, then continued to eat his food. After dinner, Troy and I stood outside in the hallway. "I had a nice time Troy." I smiled.

"I did too." We were both silent and awkwardly looked away. Why were things constantly happening like this? Troy and I had feelings for each other, but it always resulted in awkwardness. One of us had to break the tension. "Well, uh good night." I said, then turned towards my apartment. I had taken out my keys when Troy's hand grabbed my arm and I turned to have his lips pressed against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and his wrapped around my body. He pulled me towards him as he deepened the kiss. We pulled away to catch our breath, but only looked into each others' eyes. "Good night Gabriella." He smiled as he gently caressed my cheek before he turned towards his apartment.

The door closed after he entered and I stood there in awe. I entered my apartment and leaned against the door after I closed it. I let out a sigh and a smile spread across my face. I knew that it was there when I kissed Troy. The magical sensation when sparks fly and you know that he's the one. I felt it with _him_.


	11. Chapter 10

It was the week of prom and every girl was once again scrambling to find dates. "How can you possibly be calm at a time like this?" Sharpay asked as she sat beside Zeke. Both of them sat across from me. Jason joined the table along with Kelsi. Prom reminded me of the night I spent with Chad during junior year. Those memories still haunted me.

_"You have to win Prom Princess. If Chad wins Prom King, you two will be the most adorable couple there." Alaina smiled. Alaina was one of my best friends and the only other person I trusted besides Chad. She and I were getting ready for prom that night since it started at 8pm. I rolled my eyes and smiled, "You think we'll both win?" I asked and she nodded._

At the time, I didn't know the plans Chad had in store for me. "I have a date." I told Sharpay and suddenly she became wide-eyed. I let out a light chuckle, then she asked who my date was but I didn't say a word. I knew that she was going to be curious, they all were curious. "You have to tell us." Kelsi smiled. I shook my head and just smiled as Troy joined our table. "What are you guys talking about?" He asked as he sat beside me.

My friends [the girls] and Troy got along after some persuasion that Troy wasn't a complete asshole. "Gabby here won't tell us who her date is to prom." Sharpay motioned towards my direction. Troy looked at me and smiled, "Is that so? Who knew a guy would have the courage to ask you to prom? Though, I feel that he is in store for rejection." I knew Troy was teasing me as I rolled my eyes. "Troy Bolton is suddenly curious?" I asked with a smirk. The bell rang and we all parted ways. "I'm surprised that they didn't catch on yet. I thought we made it obvious." Troy smiled as we got into his Aston Martin. I buckled myself in as he started the car. "They'll know when they see us walk in together at prom." I smiled as he drove to the apartment building.

He parked the car in the lot and we walked into the building together, hand in hand. We just didn't want anyone at the school know that we were together, but they assumed that we were dating because Troy hadn't been with a single girl since his break up with Jaime. We rode the elevator to our floor and stepped out, then walked down the hallway. "Come over for dinner?" He asked with playful, child-like eyes. I smiled and nodded, then kissed his lips. Every night since Valentine's day, Troy and I would go over to Troy's apartment and we'd have dinner. Afterwards, we'd part ways in the hallway. On the fridays when my mom was out on her date with her new boyfriend, Troy and I would watch movies at my apartment.

Saturday. It was the night of prom and I was getting ready with the girls at Sharpay's house. Zeke and Jason were going to pick us up while Troy was going to meet me at the venue where prom was being held. "Still not ready to tell us who your date is yet?" Jason asked as we all got into the car. Zeke drove to the venue and parked his car in the lot. "You're in for a surprise." I smiled as we all got out of the car. I told everyone to go inside while I wait for my date. "They nodded and headed inside. Not long after, Troy had driven up and parked his car in the lot. He stepped out, dressed in a tuxedo with a tie. The tie suited him well. "Ready to make everyone envious of us?" He asked with a smirk, holding out his arm towards me.

"I think they already are." I linked my arm with his as we entered the building. We walked to the ballroom where music was already being blasted as it sounded through the hallways. As soon as we entered, suddenly there were eyes on us. I didn't mind being the center of attention, but I let out a chuckle as I saw the surprised looks on our friends' faces. "No… way." Kelsi and Sharpay stared at us when we approached them. Zeke and Jason were just staring at me, even though they had dates. I knew they had every opportunity to stare because of the dress that I was wearing. "Keep your eyes on your own dates. Thank you." Troy, of course, noticed the boys staring.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sharpay asked once they pulled me away from Troy's side. Troy and the guys were talking with another group who were also friends of theirs. "I wanted to keep it a secret. Besides, I don't think you two would approve." I answered.

"Still, it's Troy Bolton. You two will be the talk of the night." Kelsi said.

"Yeah! What if you two win Prom King and Queen?" Sharpay questioned."

_"The nominees for Prom King are: Lance Peterson, Chad Kingsley, and Chad Danforth." The three boys walked up to the stage and positioned themselves side by side. The student that read their names was given a card to reveal who the winner was. __"And the winner for Prom King is… Chad Danforth!" The crowd roared as the crown was placed on Chad's head. Chad was a nominee for the senior class and I, a nominee for the junior class. Still, we would be King and Queen [if I won]._

_Alexa Briggs was the Prom Queen for the senior class. She was on the varsity volleyball team. She was beautiful too. The tiara was placed on her head and then the two of them stepped aside to announce the Prom Prince and Princess. __Reid Oliver was the winner for Prom Prince. He was a blond haired boy and was on the varsity wrestling team. If I hadn't been with Chad, I would've gone after Reid instead. "The nominees for Prom Princess are: Rachel Kingsley, Erin Meyers, and Gabriella Montez."_

_Rachel and Chad Kingsley were the richest students in the school. Their parents would pay some serious cash to get them into the best colleges. "And the nominee for Prom Princess is…" My heart pounded against my chest as I stood on the stage along with the other two girls. I prayed to god that I didn't win. "Gabriella Montez!" My name was suddenly called and I found myself walking forward as a tiara was placed on my head. From the crowd, I saw a look in Chad's eyes._

"Gabs? Gabriella? Earth to Gabby?" A hand waved in front of my face as I shook my head and blinked at who was trying to grab my attention. "Sorry." I muttered under my breath to Sharpay and Kelsi.

"What's going on?" Kelsi asked. I shook my head and told them that it was nothing. After dancing, it was time to announce the nominees. This time, they were starting with the nominees for Prom Prince and Princess. My heart pounded against my chest. I needed some air. I walked out of the room and sat down in one of the chairs. Troy had followed me out and sat down. "Is everything okay?" he asked. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders as he rubbed my arm. At least he was trying to comfort me.

_"Let me show you how a king treats his queen."_ Chad's voice appeared in my mind once again as I closed my eyes. I could picture the event that happened that night. His eyes were black as night, cold. He was naked before me. I could picture his fit, muscled body before me. "Allie Sawyer!" The name for Prom Princess was announced. I guess I was too busy focusing on the voice in my head to hear the male's name being called. "C'mon, they're announcing Prom King!" Sharpay walked out. Troy stood up and helped me to my feet. I followed them inside the ballroom. _"I know you're enjoying it baby. Let me hear you moan."_ Chad's voice appeared in my mind.

I stood beside Zeke and clutched his arm. He looked at me with concerned eyes. I just nodded to let him know that I was alright. "The nominees for Prom King are: Vince Cooper, Dean Samuels, and Troy Bolton." The guys walked on stage and the student who read the names was now given the card. _"You're a filthy whore. Just like your mom."_ I couldn't seem to get Chad's voice out of my head. Was it because of prom? It wasn't the same situation now, it was different. Chad wasn't here. "Troy Bolton!" Troy's name was called as the winner for Prom King. Everyone in the crowd whooped and hollered. The crown was placed on his head as he joined us on the floor. "Congrats." I threw him a smile and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Next the nominees for Prom Queen were being called. Sharpay and I were nominated, along with a girl named Danica. "And the winner for this year's Prom Queen is…" I barely heard my name being called, but I felt Sharpay nudge me forward. I won? A tiara was placed on my head and I looked out in the crowd to see everyone clapping for me. I saw Troy who had the same look in his eyes Chad had on that night. I swallowed as I proceeded to get off the stage and joined Troy to the traditional slow dance.

After prom, I went home with Troy. Winning Prom Queen dawned on me because everything had happened so fast. "Gabs, you seem distracted." Troy said as he parked the car in the lot. I looked at him and shook my head. "I'm not distracted." I told him. We got out of the car and I hurried to the elevator. Troy had barely caught up to me when I stepped into the elevator. The doors closed and Troy stopped the elevator. "Troy, people are-" Troy's lips pressed against mine as he forcibly pushed me against the wall of the elevator.

I knew what was happening. I turned my head and said, "Troy. Troy, stop." His lips were against my neck as one hand began to trail up under my dress. I felt his hand on my thigh as he caressed it gently. He was suddenly being so rough with me. "Troy, ow-" He gently bit my neck and I'm sure he left a mark there, but I was more focused on trying to push Troy away. I did the best that I could do and kicked him. The elevator resumed to climb to the fourth floor. I got out and went to down the hallway to my apartment. I slammed the door behind me after I entered and locked the door. "Gabriella!" The pounding on the door began. "Gabby, I'm sorry!"

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I sank to the floor and hugged my knees to my chest. "I don't know what came over me. Gabby!" He called out. The door handle jiggled and I cried even more. I knew it was going to happen the moment I saw the look in his eyes. I stood up and opened the door to see him stand in front of me. "I thought you were different Troy. I trusted you, and this is what you do? You, out of _all_ people… Don't _ever_ talk to me again!" I slammed the door in his face and went straight to my room. I did what I knew had to be done. I was going to move. I was going to tell my mom everything. I began to pack my clothes. I put everything in the empty boxes. The next morning, I was going to tape them.

A picture of Troy and I sat on the dresser. I threw it into the empty trash bin as a thin line split down the middle. I was going to leave Los Angeles. I was going to leave the one city I thought would change my life. I was going to leave Los Angeles for the same reason I left the others. I was going to leave and never come back. Even though I was going to leave my friends, it was going to hurt me more than it would hurt them but I had to leave. By midnight, everything had died down. My mom came back from her date and she instantly knew what happened without me having to explain what it is. "Where to this time?" She asked me as if it had now become a routine. I didn't say another word, but just broke out in tears before my mom.

Even though my mom and I hardly got along, she was always going to be there for me. She reached out and pulled me into a tight hug. For the first time in a long time, I was grateful to have my mom with me. Otherwise, I would be lost.


	12. Chapter 11

4 years later…

This was nothing but a dream. It felt undeniably realistic. The sunlight streamed through the window as I sat up in bed and outstretched my arms. I ran a hand through my hair, then began to tie it up into a pony tail. I stepped out of my bed as my feet hit the rough carpet. Next door, I could hear my neighbors arguing with each other. They were Italian so I couldn't understand what they were saying. Though their arguments always resulted with the couple having sex. I found it entertaining. I put on my silk bathrobe, then walked outside onto the balcony. It was a warm sunny morning in New York City.

New York. The city of the Empire State building, the Statue of Liberty, and Times Square. It was where dreams came true, dreams of being on Broadway. Below me, there were cars honking and taxi drivers were yelling at other drivers out of impatience. My mom had moved in with her current boyfriend in Brooklyn while I had found myself an apartment in Manhattan. I exited the balcony area and walked into the kitchen. I became accustomed to living alone now. Since my college days at NYU, I've dealt with independence. I hardly ever saw my roommate. I didn't mind not having a roommate. Being alone gave me time to think instead of focusing my attention on another person living with me. I poured myself a hot cup of coffee and sat down in the living room, then turned on the TV.

It was slow for a saturday morning. I started my new job on monday and I might as well enjoy the weekend before the rush hour. I sighed and eventually turned off the TV. There was _nothing_ interesting to watch. I figured that I should watch a DVD. I searched through the shelf, but none of the selections were of interest to me. _Toy Story, The Vow, The Notebook, Nightmare on Elm St-_ My thoughts were interrupted with a knock at the door. I wonder who that could be. I thought and set my coffee on the table in front of the couch, then walked to the door. "Hey, I'm Martha. I live next door."

Martha was a bit taller than me with hazel eyes and long wavy brown hair. "Next door?" I asked. I thought of the Italian couple next door and she smiled at me. "The other side." She quickly answered and I just nodded.

"I'm Gabriella." I introduced myself.

"Nice to meet you. I'm supposed to go to a club with my friend tonight, but she bailed out on me last minute. I was wondering if you'd like to come with me. It'll be a lot of fun." Martha smiled. It wouldn't hurt to go out tonight. I thought and agreed to go with her to the club. "Great. Be ready by seven." She retreated back to her apartment and I closed the door. After four years of living in New York, I never thought I'd make a new friend. I've had a few friends in college, but after graduation, they all parted ways but I still kept in contact with them. By seven, Martha and I had gotten into a taxi to take us to the club. She was wearing a gold dress and I stuck with red. "I'll show you what it's really like to have a night out on the town." She smirked as we got out of the cab once we arrived at the club.

"Hey Martha." The bouncer smiled as we made our way to the front entrance. Martha smiled and hugged him. "Hey Joe. This is my friend Gabriella." She introduced me to Joe as we shook hands.

"Krista can't make it tonight?" he asked.

"She bailed on me. I found a new replacement for her." She winked. Joe let us enter the club while the others groaned outside. Music was playing at a high level, but the beat was great. We headed over to the bar and sat down on the stool. "Martha, the regular?" The bartender asked her.

"Yeah, that'd be great. Get her one too Mac." Martha motioned towards my direction. Mac, I assumed that was his name, nodded and went to make our drinks. "That's Mac. He and I grew up together, but obviously we went separate ways." she told me over the blasting music. "Here you go ladies. The drinks are on me." Mac smiled. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Gabriella." she answered.

"First timer?" While they were immersed in conversation, I spun around to face the dance floor with the drink in my hand. There was no guy of interest to me, not since prom. It was then _his_ eyes caught mine. I knew I've seen them somewhere before. I turned away and focused my attention on the drink before me. "Gabriella, you okay?" I heard Martha's voice beside me. I just nodded and gulped down the drink. It burned my throat a little, but the alcohol wasn't enough to calm my nerves.

_"I'm looking for Gabriella. Do you know if she lives here?" I heard his voice from the other room. My mom was talking to him. Of all people, why him? "You're looking for my daughter? Yes, she's here." I heard my mom say. Please don't let him in. Please don't let him in. "Come in." Why mom? She had to welcome him into our apartment. "Gabby, someone's here to see you!" My mom called out and then the door closed. My mom had left for work and left me alone with Chad. It was the week after everything that had happened between Chad and I._

_I didn't think I'd be able to face him again. Slowly, I emerged from my room and walked down the hallway to enter the living room. Chad was admiring the pictures on the shelf in the living room. He was dressed casually and wore a varsity jacket. He turned towards my direction and smiled, "Hey."_

_"Stay away from me." I said and maintained a safe distance from him. I didn't want him anywhere near me, or touch me even. "What's going on? Is everything alright?" he asked._

_I rolled my eyes. "Like you don't know. Stop acting like you have no idea what I'm talking about." I scoffed. Chad furrowed his eyebrows together and looked at me, confused. "What are you talking about Gabriella?"_

_"Cut the act Chad." I said._

_"What act?" Again, I rolled my eyes and it was at that moment he pushed me against the wall. His hands clasped around my neck, almost suffocating me. "This won't be the last time Gabriella. I'll find you, and I won't stop until you're mine."_

"Gabriella Montez?" No. It can't be. Not him. I turned and saw that he stood beside me. His brown hair, piercing brown eyes, and that charming smile. He, of course, wore a black t-shirt and a brown leather jacket. Though he aged a bit since the last I saw him, at Ryan's house. This time, he had grown out some of his facial hair which made him look more attractive. Out of all people from my past, why did it have to be Chad Danforth? "Yeah, that's me." I said, not knowing what else to say. I considered a lot of things, but I was still in shock from seeing him before me. It reminded me of the day I saw him at Ryan's house.

Chad smiled and sat down on the stool beside me. Martha was too busy talking to another guy to notice Chad. "Hey, how've you been?" he asked me. I could see past the kind eyes, the friendly smile. It was all just an act, a game that he played. "I've been good." I said.

"I see New York's been treating you well and that you've made a new friend." He motioned towards Francesca who stopped talking to the other guy. "I'm Chad." He reached his hand across to greet hers. Martha smiled and shook hands with him. "Martha. Are you a friend of Gabriella?" she asked. I didn't want to be in the club right now. Not with Chad and Martha starting to get along. "Acquaintance, more or less." He smiled, then retreated to pull his hand away. "Mind if I steal Gabriella?"

_Please say no, please say no._ "Sure. You seem like a fun guy." Francesca smiled. Dammit. I added silently in my mind. Chad smiled and stood up. I reluctantly stood up and he said, "It was nice meeting you Martha. Have a good night."

"You too." she smiled. I walked towards the entrance with Chad and turned my head to see Francesca waving back at me. I threw her a small smile, then proceeded out the door with Chad. We walked down the side walk and entered a parking lot. "I recognized the '68 blue Camaro. "Ryan is driving my car." He replied casually as he slid into the driver's seat. What were Chad's intentions? I asked myself as I got into the car along with him. What was his reason for being in New York? It seemed that everywhere I went, he was there. How did the know I was in New York? "What brings you to New York?" I asked as he began to drive down the highway. "The sights. I've never been here before, so I might as well enjoy it while I can." Seems like a possible answer. "You?"

"Same. I dreamt of traveling the world once." Once. I remember before my parents had split, I had talked with my dad about seeing the world with him. It was my dad's dream to see different countries and it sounded like such a great idea at the time. He parked the car in front of another apartment complex, but still in the city. We both got out of the car and headed inside. We got into the elevator and the doors closed. Neither of us moved from our respective places as we rode the elevator to his floor. I knew something was a little off. Chad was unusually quiet, nervous it seems. I wanted to ask if he was alright, but I didn't bring myself to ask him. The elevator reached the tenth floor and we stepped out.

1017. That was his room number. We entered the apartment room as he closed the door behind us. Chad's house. It was his house when we were alone together for the first time. Those events continued to play back in my mind. They scarred me and there was no way I could forget about them. "Want anything to drink?" He asked as he made his way into the kitchen. I shook my head and retreated into the living room. Why was this suddenly familiar?

_"I have a reputation to keep. I break girls' hearts and new ones come flocking to me. You are the first girl that's only pushed me away. I have never wanted a girl more. No matter how many times you try to run away from me or turn away before we kiss, I'm always going to chase you. When I came to your apartment that night, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I care about you Stella."_

Troy's voice appeared in my mind and I thought about that day before winter break. _I care about you Gabriella._ Those words kept replaying in my mind. "Really? Why are you in New York?" I asked as I turned towards Chad's direction. He walked towards my direction with a mug in his hand and said, "I came for you Gabriella. Your mom-" I knew it. I shook my head and stormed out the door. Of _course_ my mom would tell Chad. I stepped into the elevator and quickly pressed the button to take me to the lobby. I wasn't fast enough. Chad's arm slipped through the doors as he entered. Once the door closed, he pressed the button to stop the elevator. "Gabriella, _look_ at me." He said as I turned my face away. I couldn't look him directly in the eyes.

I couldn't bring myself to trust him. "_Gabriella_…" The tone his voice had changed and I knew what would come next if I didn't look at him. I continued to look away. Immediately his hand wrapped tightly around my neck as he pushed me against the wall. "_Look_ at me when I talk to you." I kept my eyes averted towards the floor. I couldn't give in. Not now. Even if it means that he'll kill me in the process. His hand wrapped even more tightly, almost to a point where I couldn't breathe.

That got me to look at him. "I can't live without you." he said. "I've searched every city for you and now, I've found you." His hand was still wrapped around my neck. He wouldn't let me go, knowing that I'd probably run if he did. "You are mine and I want you to know that. It's getting late, so come back to the apartment with me and we'll have a chat." He grinned. I wanted to say no. I wanted to kick him. I wanted to do my best to get away from him, but I was unable to. I just nodded and his hand was released from my neck. I went into a series of coughing fits. He pressed the button to the tenth floor and the elevator resumed to climb. "So, how about that glass of water?"


	13. Chapter 12

The next morning I awoke to the sunlight glare in the bedroom. I sat up and ran a hand through my hair. I was still in Chad's apartment. I got out of bed as my feet touched the hardwood floor. I crossed the room to the bathroom. I washed my face and saw my dress hanging from the cabinet. I put on the dress and walked down the hallway into the living room. "Hey, you're up." Chad smiled as he emerged from the kitchen. "Let's grab a bite to eat." I just nodded and followed him out the door. We entered the elevator and the doors closed before us.

_"I can't believe it! We are finally leaving this hell hole." Sharpay gushed. Graduation had finally come and everyone was anxious to get their diplomas. "In just tow hours, we're going to be considered college students." Kelsi beamed. Both of my friends were more excited than I was to be graduating. Just a few hours after the ceremony, I would be headed on a plane to another city, New York. I was going to New York University while Sharpay and Kelsi were both going to Juilliard. "C'mon Gabs, cheer up." Jason nudged me with a smile. I attempted to smile back, but it was no use. They'd see right through it._

_"I'm just going to miss all of you." I said as I tried to hold back the tears, but they came without warning. Zeke reached out and hugged me. I was going to miss Zeke more than everyone else in the entire group. He was the first person I saw when I entered the classroom on the first day I came to the school and probably would the be last person to see before I leave. I was going to miss Zeke's habit of reading my mind, his ability to cheer me up when I'm feeling down, and his ability to give the best advice. Also, I was going to miss Jason and his randomness. I was definitely going to miss all the hilarious jokes he'd crack during lunch._

_I was going to miss his carefree personality and sometimes I wish I shared that trait with him. I was going to miss Sharpay and her amazing sense of style - no matter what, she'd always wear pink somehow. She had become one of my best friends. I was going to miss Kelsi and her amazing piano playing skills. I was going to miss that even the quiet ones have the ability to speak their minds. Lastly- "Bolton, you have the guts to walk up to us right now." Sharpay interrupted my thoughts. I silently thanked her because I didn't want to think of Troy. Yet, I did anyway._

_I was going to miss the day we first met, the day I saw his blue eyes at the party, his charming smile, his flirtatious ways, the long talks at his apartment, his brown hair that felt soft when I ran my hands through it, entering his apartment and unexpectedly find him shirtless, seeing his muscular chest, waking up next to him and to see that he was still asleep, the nights when he'd cook for me, the laughs that we shared together, the way he held me close while we danced, the sound of his voice, the rides in his car after lunch, the movie nights, and the times we'd sit in the parking lot of our building and just talk until it became dark. But most importantly, I was going to miss Troy. He and I have opened up to each other. He cared about me and loved me as well as I did._

_Nothing was ever going to be the same between us, not since prom night. "I just need to talk to Gabriella alone." he said. He hardly glanced at me, keeping his gaze on my friends. I looked over at them and mouthed 'It's okay.' They hesitated a moment before walking off to a different area. I knew that they were going to be close by. "Gabriella, before you say anything, I want to apologize for everything I did that night and I understand that you might not forgive me. I'm not really asking for your forgiveness. I know you're mad at me and don't want anything to do with me. I understand we can't be friends either, and I know I've been a jerk to you that night, including other times before. You have shown me what it's like to truly love someone and I've never treated any other girl the way that I have treated you._

_"Those other girls, honestly, I never even cared about them. You, you mean the world to me Gabriella. You'll deny it at first, but you'll need me. You won't realize it now, but in time, I know you will. So, I came to give you something." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box, then handed it to me as I took it from him. "Open it as soon as you land in the airport." he said, then walked away. I watched him enter one of the rooms where the other guys were gathered. I looked down at the box as my friends approached me. I never knew that was going to be the last time I'd ever see Troy Bolton._

Chad and I walked out to the blue Camaro. He drove down the street and parked in front of IHOP. We got out of the car and entered the restaurant, then were seated at our seats. We were given menus to look over the food choices before ordering our food. After ordering our food and drinks, we were given some time to talk. Being alone with Chad reminded me of the time when we were together back in high school, well before everything had changed junior year. He'd take me out on dates and we would just have a blast. That was the Chad I fell in love with. "Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked him, then took a sip of my coffee. Chad raised an eyebrow at me and I just rolled my eyes. "Don't act that way." I added.

"Can't we just spend a decent time together?" he asked. "Oh by the way, I think you should have that checked." He motioned towards my neck as I picked up the napkin dispenser to see that Chad's handprints were still there. My neck was slightly bruised. I tried to cover it up my hair, hoping it would suffice. "Here, wear this." He took off his jacket and held it out towards my direction. I uttered a small thank you before putting it on. I could smell the cologne that he used. It was the same one he used when we _were_ dating. "Keep the jacket." he said. "It looks good on you."

Our food was served out to us and I began eating. "Decent? Chad, you have no idea how much you've traumatized me. I couldn't- I couldn't move on from what you did, let alone trust anyone."

"Troy Bolton. You trusted him. Of all people, why him?" A cold chill was sent down my spine as his name was mentioned. Why did it seem like the tables were turned? Why did Troy's name affect me like that? I couldn't understand. Maybe it was because of what he _almost_ did to me at prom. "I thought you two are friends." I replied.

Chad looked down at his plate and cleared his throat. "We were friends. We haven't spoken in a while."

"Why's that?"

"I heard about what he did to you at prom, and I confronted him about it. Troy wasn't in his right state of mind. He's not that kind of guy."

"You're sticking up for him?"

"As his best friend, I should be but he hurt you."

"When did you start becoming defensive Chad? _You_ don't have a hold on me anymore."

"Why are you arguing with me Gabriella? I'm telling you the truth. I buy you breakfast and this is how you repay me? You can't even trust me for one _second_. I'm trying to be nice here. Isn't that what you want?" I shut my mouth shortly after and proceeded to eat my breakfast. Yes, that's what I want. After breakfast, we walked back to the car and entered. "I'm sorry." I said.

"It's alright." he said as he started the car. Why did I find it odd to apologize to Chad? Shouldn't he be the one apologize to me? After all, it wasn't my fault to begin with. It was _his_. He drove me to my apartment building as he stopped the car out front. "Gabriella, I know this is a bad time but I'm sorry." Chad said. "I'm sorry about everything. I- I've changed since then and you have no idea how hard I've been trying to make you see that I've made mistakes. You're the first girl I've ever chased after. I was immature back then, and I just- I don't want Troy to make the same mistake I did."

"So, why don't you go and tell Troy that?" I suggested and got out of the car, then entered the building. I rode the elevator up to my floor and closed my apartment door behind me. Seconds later, a knock came at my door. "What?" I saw that it was only Martha. "Sorry. Hey Martha." I attempted to compose myself.

"Is something wrong? You look-"

"I know. I just- A lot has been going on lately." I interrupted her and ran a hand through my hair again. "So, that guy last night…?"

"Long story." I told her.

"I'm up for stories." she smiled. I let her enter my apartment and closed the door. We sat down on the couch and I told her my story. "At least things didn't happen between you two after you left last night." She said once I finished my story.

"Well, it's only the beginning." I told her.


	14. Chapter 13

Monday. It was the first monday that I was starting my new job. I was working at a company for Lucas Mathews. He was the CEO of the company. Before I started, he had interviewed me and now he was congratulating me. "Glad to have you on board Miss Montez." He smiled as he shook hands with me. Lucas Mathews was a handsome man. he looked to be about a few years older than I. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and presented himself well. "Glad to be here Mr. Mathews." I smiled. "I prefer to be called Gabriella."

"Beautiful name. My grandmother's name is Gabriella. Coincidence?" He raised an eyebrow at me with a playful smile on his lips. I just blushed as he gave me a small tour of the floor we were on. "Here's where you'll be sitting. My office is just two floors up. You can come see me yourself or just call and set up and appointment. It was nice meeting you Gabriella." He gave a small nod before he walked away, then yelled at a co-worker who wasn't doing his job. I let out a light chuckle and proceeded to sit at my desk.

My area was near a large glass window that overlooked the city. It was a marvelous sight. "You're the new girl." A voice appeared as I turned my head and was met with a brunette. She had her hair slightly curled and had brown eyes. "I'm Taylor McKessie. I go by Taylor, or Tay for short. You're not from around here, are you?" Taylor asked. She approached my desk with folders in her hand. "Gabriella. I went here for college. I moved here from Los Angeles." I answered.

"The West Coast." She smiled and sat down in the desk beside me. "I have friends that live there. I didn't stay long. I moved here when I was fourteen and have grown up here my entire life. I've dreamed of going back one day, but I never managed to go." I told her that maybe she and I can go to Los Angeles together. She liked that idea a lot. Also, I told her about what it was like living there. "Sounds incredible. It's a shame that you've moved from place to place and that you've never seen your dad." Taylor reminded me of Sharpay. She was easy to talk to and can hold a decent conversation.

"Let me tell you what you need to know about everyone on this floor. Obviously there's Mr Bossman who works two floors above us, total hottie. He has a things for brunettes, but he'll go for an occasional blond. Sophie, little brat. She takes credit for all the work that _we_ do and Bossman appraises her for it, then we get yelled at. Don't let that smirk of hers deceive you. Ethan, he's also a suck up, at first. When you get to know him, he parties… hard. He's always inviting us to go out to the club on the weekends. He's constantly showing up with a hangover, but pops in a few pills to get through the day."

There was one empty desk which she had left out. "Who sits there?" I asked and motioned towards the desk. "He's late, as usual." Taylor muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes. "_That's the fifth time this month. If you're ever late again, you will be fired immediately._" I heard Mr Mathews voice form down the hallway and I glanced over at Taylor who just gave me a small nod. The guy sat down in the desk before us and ran a hand through his hair. "Nice going Bolton." Taylor teased.

"Shut up." His voice sounded familiar. Bolton? Was she referring to- The moment he looked up, our eyes instantly met. His bright blue eyes had a familiar sense to them. My heart raced against my chest, but neither of us looked away. "Gabriella, this is-"

"She knows who I am." Troy interrupted her, the focused his attention towards the computer. Taylor looked at me and gave me a confused look. I mouthed the words 'later' and went on to do my work.

_Finally I landed in the John F. Kennedy airport. New York was definitely a new atmosphere. My mom and I took separate cabs - one to take me to Manhattan and the other to take her to Brooklyn. I entered my new apartment once I arrived and set all the stuff in the living room. The apartment was spacious and had a great view of the city, especially from the balcony. I sat down on the couch and took out the black box from my bag. It was the box Troy had told me to open once I land. Why did he want me to open it in a different city? I opened the box and it revealed a leather bracelet, but it wasn't just any necklace. It was his. He had worn it when I came over to his apartment for dinner that night he cooked spaghetti. A piece of paper had fallen out onto the floor. I reached down and picked it up to see that it was a note from Troy._

_Gabriella,_

_I want to give you this so that you can still remember me. Besides, I thought it'd look much better on you._

_Troy_

"So that's it? You two never spoke to each other… again?" Taylor asked as we sat down at a table in the lunch room. I nodded and drank some coffee. "Such an asshole move. He's never been that way. Look, knowing Troy, he must've been so in the moment that he wasn't realizing what he was doing. I mean, he's been dating girls since… god knows how long. Freshman year? Or that's what I heard." I learned from Taylor that she knew Troy, including: Sharpay, Ryan, Zeke, Jason, and Kelsi.

"It's hard to believe that he's a nice guy now." I looked down at my drink and sighed.

"Well, if it isn't my bitch." Sophie walked in as she held Troy's hand. "Who are you?" She looked towards my direction as I motioned towards myself and she nodded. "Gabriella." I told her.

"Yes, Troy has told me a lot about you. He told me how _you_ were the one who broke is poor heart." I glanced at Troy and back at her. I stood up from my seat and walked out of the room. After work, I walked out of the building and heard my name being called. I turned to see that Troy had followed me out. "What do you want from me?" I asked him. He stopped in his tracks as he looked at me with his blue eyes. "You _lied_ to her?"

"Of course I had to Gabriella. It was the only way I could keep my relationship with-" I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Typical Troy Bolton lies to keep his reputation in tact, just like high school."

"This is nothing like high school Gabs."

"This has _everything_ to do with high school. You promised me that you weren't going to be like the others Troy. You lied to me." The tears were starting to form, but I dare didn't fight against them. "You hurt me Troy." A care drove out front and I recognized that it was the blue Camaro. Troy had recognized the car as well. "I _trusted_ you." I added and gave him one last glare before getting in the car. I began to wipe my tears away as Chad drove down the street. He didn't ask me what was wrong, thank god. I didn't know who to trust anymore. I couldn't fully trust Chad and I know for a fact that I couldn't trust Troy. I guess there's only one person in the world I _can_ trust and that is myself.


	15. Chapter 14

"You need a break." Martha told me as we sat down in a coffee shop. For weeks, I have been avoiding Troy since the day I saw him at work that first day. "I don't need one." I told her as I took a sip of my coffee. Chad and I have suddenly grown a lot closer. He was just so nice to me, but I considered it to be an act that he played. "Don't fight me Gabriella Montez. You need to get your mind off that man. He's given you nothing but sadness." she said. I was about to roll my eyes at her when she pointed a finger towards my direction. "_Don't. You. Dare._" Did she have to emphasize every word? Yes. Yes she did, only to get her point across.

Eventually she got me to agree to go to a party with her friend, Krista was holding at her house. The night of the party came and Martha introduced me to Krista. "C'mon, I'll introduce to you to one of my good guy friends." Krista grabbed my hand and pulled me along with her.

. . .

**Troy's pov**

I couldn't seem to get Gabriella out of my mind. Weeks had passed since I saw her on the first day she came to work. We hardly spoke to each other since then. Sophie and I were attending an engagement party. "Troy!" Ryan greeted me with an embrace as he gave me a pat on the back. "Hey Ry!" I smiled. It had been so long since the last I saw Ryan. We pulled away and I was greeted with a hug from Kelsi. Kelsi Nielsen, who was also my ex girlfriend and the shy girl from high school, was Ryan's fiancee. I was proud that the two of them had met. "Troy, I'm glad you joined us." Her warm voice reminded me of Gabriella. She had really grown into a beautiful woman, but I knew she wasn't the one for me.

The engagement party was a lot of fun, but I couldn't seem to enjoy my time there. "What's wrong?" Ryan asked me. I stood outside on the patio, reminiscing about the days when we were together. Sophie could never compare to the girl Gabriella is. I stayed silent when Ryan asked his question. "Thinking about Gabby, aren't you? Just apologize to her." he said.

"It's not that simple Ryan." I told him. "Gabriella, she hates me now. I messed up in high school. She was literally the best girlfriend I've ever had and I lost her, just like that." I sat down on the chairs and buried my head in my hands. How am I ever going to get her back? I asked myself, thinking that she could be moving on to someone else. "We'll get her back Troy." Ryan said.

**Gabriella's pov**

I pushed the guy away from me. Who knew that I would be locked in an empty room with a guy I barely know? Good friends? Yeah right. I stormed out of the room while adjusting my dress and went downstairs. "How'd it-" I stormed out of the house even before Krista finished her sentence. I was fed up with assholes trying to get in my pants. I was not going to let that happen to me again. Martha followed me out of the house. I knew because she was calling my name.

"Can't there be just one decent guy in this world?" I asked her as we walked to her car. She understood why I was mad and didn't ask. "Well, I'm meeting a friend of mine tomorrow. Maybe you should come with?" she asked. "She started the car and drove back to the building. "What's he like?" I asked her.

"He's real sweet. Tall, has an athletic build to him, and he has a great personality. I think you'll like him." She answered. I told her that I'd think about it when we entered the building and rode the elevator to our floor. We bid each other good night and entered our respective apartments. I closed the door and turned on the lights to see a vase full of roses sitting on the table. I was confused as to who had gotten into my apartment.

_Gabriella,_

_You weren't home, so I dropped these off. I hope you still like roses. I'd like to see you again soon. Call me and we can arrange a date and time._

_Chad_

Chad dropped these off? They were such beautiful roses, dark red. I read over the note again and turned it over to see Chad had left me a phone number. I took out my phone and held it in my hand for a moment, contemplating. Was it a bad idea to go on a date with your ex? Yes. My subconscious answered and immediately, I shut her up. It wouldn't hurt. I dialed the number and after one ring, Chad picked up. "I knew you'd call." Chad said, then cleared his throat. "I mean-" I smiled at the memory when Chad had been a little too overexcited about going out for ice cream with me for our first date. He cleared his throat afterwards to prove that he was a 'man.' I giggled at him and told him that I didn't mind.

"It's okay. I'm free this Saturday at six." I told him.

"Great. I'll pick you up at your apartment." We had a short conversation before we hung up the phone. This was going to be one hell of a story to tell my friends. I thought to myself and decided to get ready for bed. The next morning, Martha and I walked down to local cafe to meet her friend. As soon as we entered, she was greeted with a hug from the guy whom she described. "Hey Martha." The guy smiled as he greeted her, then they pulled away.

"Jason, I'd like you to meet-"

"Gabriella?" Jason was still the same height as he was in high school, but he looked a bit older. Four years can change people and it definitely changed him. He was slightly more built than in high school. His hair style was much more different now since he trimmed his long locks. I smiled, "It's good to see you Jason." I was just as surprised to see him stand before me. Before anything else happened, he reached out and pulled me into a hug. It wasn't long that I finally let it all out. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I wasn't going to hide my emotions anymore.

I hugged him tighter and remembered back when we graduated from high school. He and I have distanced ourselves from one another, slowly losing contact. "I've missed you." He said as we pulled away. I wiped my tears away and smiled. "I missed you more." The three of us sat down at the table and began to have a chat with each other. I have never laughed so hard in my life when I was with Jason. The two of them told me how they were friends when they were growing up, but ever since Martha moved, the two weren't as close as they were before. I'm just glad the two of them rekindled their friendship.

"You two never thought of dating?" I asked them. Jason and Martha exchanged glances as they shook their heads in reply. "The thought never really crossed our minds." Jason sat in the chair beside me and casually slung his arm around my shoulders, but it rested on the chair. "I'm sure you had a crush on him once Martha." I said. She looked over at Jason and thought about it for a while. "You two would make the cutest couple." I added and took a sip of my drink. I knew they were contemplating the thought. To think that my two good friends would be together, it would just make my day. Yet, my thoughts had some how brought me back to Troy.

Troy had a girlfriend, so it wouldn't matter if I cared about him. I wondered if he still cared about me. It wasn't likely. It was ludicrous to think that Troy would still care about me, let alone still have feelings for me after what happened that night.

Afterwards, the three of us were soon going to part ways. Jason was going to head off in one direction while Martha and I were going in the other. "Actually, I think you and Jason should catch up." I told Martha. She gave me a look and I just nodded. We bid our goodbyes and I walked down the street towards Central Park. I just wanted some time to myself. It was a beautiful sunny day in the city, and even the park was beautiful. I walked down the pathway, surrounded by the tall trees. I reminisced about the good old days back in high school. I heard someone call out my name. It sounded so familiar, and it was until I finally turned around to see who it was. Troy.


	16. Chapter 15

Troy approached me after calling out my name. He wore a white long sleeved shirt, jeans, converse, and a leather jacket. It was a bit different than what he wore in high school. There was no way I'd be able to handle being alone with Troy. Some how I wished that Chad was here with me, but thinking of the outcome, it wasn't going to be a pretty picture. I began to walk down the path. Troy walked beside me, maintaining his distance. "I never took you for a park kind of guy." I said.

"I prefer beaches. I like hearing the sound of the waves crashing against the beach and watching the sun set over the horizon." I felt that he was leading into another topic, but he seemed so quiet. I knew he was holding something back. What was he not telling me. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing. I just wanted to see how you were doing, that's all." That's it? There was no way _that_ was true. "You came to me, so there has to be something you want to tell me." This was the most we've ever spoken to each other since the first day I began working.

"The whole ordeal with Sophie and I wasn't working out." No surprise there. I figured that the two have broken up. "If that's all you want to say to me, goodbye Troy." I said and walked away from him. This time, he didn't follow me and I was glad for that because I didn't want him to see me crying. I arrived at my apartment and walked into the bedroom. I had kept the broken frame with the picture of the two of us still intact. Many things have changed, but most importantly, I have changed.

That Saturday, Chad picked me up at my apartment building. "Where are we headed?" I asked him as soon as I got in the car. "It's a surprise." He smiled as he began to drive down the highway. Usually, I'd be worried about where he was going to take me but things were different between us. Yet, that didn't mean I was going to trust him. A part of me still believed that Chad hadn't changed his ways. After about twenty minutes, he stopped the car in the parking lot in front of a restaurant that I've never been.

"I just wanted to start the night off right this time." He got out of the car and opened the door for me as I stepped out after him. We entered the restaurant and were seated at a table. "I thought you had to get reservations for this place." I said when we sat down.

"I did. I planned all of this Gabriella. I want to prove to you that I'm a changed man. You have to trust me." We were given menus to order our food. A part of me wanted to believe him, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell him. "How can I?" I asked after we ordered our meals and drinks. "How can I trust you after all that has happened between us?"

"I know what happened junior year still haunts you and it haunts me too. After you moved, I went to your apartment to see if you had really moved, and you were gone. There was no trace of you telling me where you had gone to. I couldn't live with myself after losing you Gabriella. I remember the day we first met. You were a shy little girl, but I believe I brought out another side to you. I want to make things right and I know it takes time for you to warm up to me, but Gabriella," He took my hand in his and caressed it gently. He gave me a look that I haven't seen in a long time. "I care about you." When I was young and naive, I couldn't see through his lies. Now, at an older age, I could tell the difference between the lies and the truth.

After dinner, Chad drove back to his apartment. I knew what was going to happen. We entered the apartment and he closed the door behind us. I waited for the worse to come, but nothing happened. What? "I told you Gabriella, I've changed." He said as he set the keys on the counter and walked into the kitchen. "I'm not going to do the things I've done to you in high school. I want to settle down. I'm ready for commitment." He held out a bottle of water towards my direction and I took it from him as I thanked him. "You're serious about this?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. He nodded and took a sip from his own water bottle.

There was something very wrong about the situation that we were in. Chad had taken me to dinner and now, we're alone in his apartment. He told me that he wants to settle down. There was a change in the atmosphere surrounding us. Just as soon as I was about to open the water bottle to take a sip, Chad's lips crashed against mine. I didn't retreat as I let my arms wrap around his neck. His arms wrapped around my waist, pulling our bodies closer as the space between us disappeared. This kiss was different. It was passionate, like two old flames rekindling. It was different from the way he had kissed me before. As immediate as the kiss happened, I pulled away and shook my head.

"No Chad. This- this is wrong." I backed away from him. This was a test. It was a test to see if things had really changed between us. "Why?" he asked. I gently bit my lip and looked down. Honestly, I had been having such a great time with Chad and began to forget about the bad things that happened in the past. "I can't do this, not behind Troy's back."

"You're still in love with him?"

I shrugged, "I don't know." I looked down as he reached out and caressed my cheek, making me look up into his eyes. "We don't have to do anything tonight Gabs." And yet, the way he looked at me in the restaurant and the way he looked at me right now ignited something inside of me. I grabbed his arm and took him into the bedroom. I felt that I was going to regret doing this, but I wanted this. It was my choice, not his. I closed the door and pushed him to the bed. "This is the only time I will ever allow you to do this and that's it." I told him as he looked at me. He was a bit shocked by what I was doing, but he was quick to catch on.

I climbed on top of him and began to kiss his lips. I let his hands roam. If any of my former friends hear about this, they'd probably yell at me. I knew that Chad was enjoying it as he hungrily kissed my neck. We switched positions so now he was on top and I was looking up into his eyes. Quickly, our clothes were tossed to the floor and I pulled him towards me as I kissed his lips. He positioned himself between my legs and it was then our moans synchronized with each other. This time, it was different.

The next morning, I opened my eyes to see Chad in bed on his stomach. His eyes were closed and his hair was a mess. I smiled a bit to see him like this. "Stop staring at me." He muttered under his breath and I let out a chuckle. "I'm gazing." I told him, then sat up in bed and began to search for my underwear. I slipped on my panties and hooked my bra. "That was fun." He was now fully sitting up in bed with the sheets covering the bottom half.

"Yeah, it was." I smiled, then slipped on my pants. I was about to reach for my shirt when he stopped me. "Hey," He paused as I looked up at him and slipped my arms through the sleeves. "Thanks."

"For what?" I asked and buttoned up my shirt.

He shrugged, "No one has stayed long enough to be friends with me, except for Ryan and Troy. I mean, you're one of the few who has put up with me."

"It's because I know the real you Chad." I smiled, then kissed his cheek. "I'll see you around." With that, I grabbed my bag and walked out of his apartment. I called for a cab that took me back to my apartment. I ran a hand through my hair and tied it up in a pony tail. I arrived at my apartment to see Jason waiting outside my door. "Hey Jason." I smiled and greeted him with a hug. "Hey Gabs." He smiled as he hugged back, then we pulled away. I offered him to come inside and talk. We entered my apartment and I closed the door after we entered. "Can I offer you anything to drink? Coffee? Water? Beer?" I was teasing him about the last part.

He let out a light chuckle and sat down on the bar stool. "Coffee would be fine. Thank you." He smiled and I happily poured him a cup, then handed it to him. I offered him some sugar and creamer. He said no to both. "How are you feeling?" He asked after taking a sip.

"I'm good." I told him, but of course, he saw through my lie. "When I was at a club with Martha the first night I stayed here, I ran into Chad."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, nothing happened between us Jason and the problem is that he claims he's changed."

"Really?"

"I don't believe him though. I just, I'm stuck in this predicament Jason. Last night, Chad kissed me."

"He kissed you? Why didn't you pull away?" I just shrugged and took a sip of the coffee I had poured for myself. "Well, first, I believe you should work things out with Chad and then, maybe consider reuniting with Troy. From what I hear, he's a mess. You should go see him."

"You've spoken to Troy?"

"Yeah, he's at this address." I looked at the address to see that he didn't live too far away from me. I thanked Jason for the talk and after ten minutes, I bid him goodbye. I looked at the address again and thought maybe I should pay Troy a visit.


	17. Chapter 16

Every single day, I dreaded going back to work. Every single day, I had to sit across from Troy. He tossed a few paper balls towards my direction and I instantly threw them into the trash, except one that had scribbled writing on it.

_Gabriella,_

_I don't deserve this treatment. Please talk to me._

_Troy_

I scribbled a quick reply and threw the ball back at him. He looked up at me with sad eyes and I shook my head, then turned my attention to the computer. Ignoring him didn't exactly help with my current situation. I needed to go out. "Hey Gabriella, Ethan and I are heading to the club. Wanna join?" Taylor approached me with a smile. The week was finally over and we were all gathered outside the building. "Sure." I smiled and we all called for a cab to bring us to the club. We got out of the cab and entered the club. The club was almost packed and immediate we walked to the bar.

"Gabriella!" A voice called out from the club. I saw that Chad had emerged from the crowd. I smiled and greeted him with a hug. "Hey Chad!"

"What are you doing here?" He asked as we pulled away from the hug. I motioned over my shoulder at the bar where Taylor and Ethan were sitting. "How about introducing me to those friends of yours?" I brought him over to where they were sitting.

"Ethan, Taylor, I'd like to you meet Chad. Chad, I'd like you to meet Ethan and Taylor." I introduced Chad to my friends. Chad shook hands with both of them until he met eyes with Taylor. I knew the look they both had. Ethan and I exchanged glances, then moved a few seats over to give them privacy. "It's about time Taylor got herself a boyfriend." Ethan teased, taking a sip of his drink. I took a sip of mine and agreed. Afterwards, we exited the club and Chad suggested to take Taylor home. "Don't have too much fun." I smirked as I hugged Taylor goodbye, then hugged Chad. Ethan and I called for own cabs to take us home.

The weather soon began to drop as the season changed from summer to fall. I was going to miss the warm summer air, but I didn't mind the cool gentle breeze of the wind. I hadn't mustered enough courage to visit Troy. I was just walking down the street when I had bumped into someone. "Gabby, hey." Ryan smiled. He gave me a hug and pulled away. He intertwined his hands with a girl beside him. "Hey Ryan." I smiled. It was odd to see him stand before me. Why was he in New York? "This is my fiancee Kelsi." He introduced me to Kelsi.

"Gabriella Montez?" Kelsi asked me. She had the same look that I had on. I nodded as she gave me a hug and I hugged her back. "It's so good to see you!" she smiled.

"It's good to see you too!" I smiled, pulling away.

"Why don't you come to the wedding?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, we invited the others. It's not going to be the same without you." Ryan said. I couldn't turn down their offer and agreed to go to the wedding. She wrote down the address for me and the date of the wedding. I thanked her and we parted ways after talking to them for another five minutes. It was good to see Ryan, especially Kelsi. It was probably the day when I decided to pay Troy a visit. He'd probably be surprised to see me, but I had my doubts. The cab arrived in front of the building and I paid the driver. I entered and stepped into the elevator to take me to the floor Troy was on.

After fourteen floors, the elevator stopped on the fifteenth floor. Troy's apartment number was 1520. I arrived at the door and reached my hand up to knock, leaving it idle. Was I really going to go through with this? What would be my reason to see him? Hey Troy, I just wanted to drop by and say 'Hi.' No, that's stupid. I cursed silently under my breath and absentmindedly knocked on the door. Why did I just do that? I waited a few minutes and then the door opened. Troy wore a navy blue t-shirt, dark jeans, and socks. His hair was a mess, like he had just woken up from a nap. The only thing missing was-

"Gabriella, what are you doing here?"

"I uh, wanted to drop by for a visit." Why? Why after sixteen years of school did I come up with that? Gabriella, can you be a bit more creative? Troy nodded slowly, but still he didn't let me in. "I came to apologize for my actions." He still didn't move or say a word. What do you want from me Troy? "Will you please stop making this difficult for me?" I asked. A smile played on his lips as I rolled my eyes. "Troy." I was becoming irritated with this guy. He smiled, "Fine, I won't torture you anymore." He stood aside and I uttered a small thank you before stepping inside. Troy couldn't have been anymore annoying. He closed the door behind after I entered.

Troy's apartment was nothing like the one in Los Angeles. Of course, this apartment was much nicer. There were two glass doors before me in the living room, which the sun shone through, that lead to the balcony. At the end of the hallway was where his bedroom was located. I figured that one of the doors led to a bathroom. The living room was spacious, but still a white couch sat in the room. Even his kitchen was quite large and there was an added dining area. "Want anything to drink? Coffee? Water? Tea? I hear you like water." He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle for me to drink. I thanked him and took a sip of my water. On the counter sat the picture of his parents. I remembered him having two pictures - the one in the bedroom.

"If your curious, it's you." he said. "I never put it out here, just in case I bring girls over. It's never left my bedside table." It's like he knew I was going to ask him about where the other picture was. Why would he still keep a picture of me around if we broke up? "What exactly are you doing here?"

"Apologize." I came to tell you that I was sorry for pushing you away all those times." I said. He nodded, then took a sip from his mug. He was staring at my wrist, but when I looked down, I noticed he was staring at the leather bracelet. "You're wearing the bracelet."

"Ten points to Captain Obvious." I mumbled sarcastically as I rolled my eyes. He reached out and held my wrist in his hand. His thumb went over the letters. "I just can't believe you'd wear it. I thought-"

"I was never fully over you Troy." I confessed and looked down at my hands. He walked over and began to caress my cheek. I simply melted into his touch as I looked up into his blue eyes.

_"Promise me something Troy." I turned towards him as we sat on the beach together. The waves crashed against the soft sand. It was the weekend before prom. It was the only weekend Troy and I ever got to talk about our futures. "Yeah, anything." he said._

_"Promise you'll move on from me. Promise me that you'll forget about me and find a girl to settle down with." The tears were beginning to form in my eyes. It was already difficult for me to think this way. "You're stubborn Gabs." he said. "Look at me," He took my hand as I looked into his eyes. "I promise to move on from you and find a girl to settle down with. I promise I will love that girl for as long as we both shall live, but I promise to make sure that I'll find my way back to you. No matter how many times I'll move onto another girl, my heart will always belong to you Gabriella Anne Montez. I love you, and no one can take that away from me." He leaned in and kissed my lips._

Those words echoed in my mind as I thought about them while he caressed my cheek. It was then I did the unthinkable. I kissed him.


	18. Chapter 17

The next morning, I awoke with the bright sun that had fallen on the bed. I looked to see that Troy was in bed beside me. It was as if nothing had changed between us. I would wake up next to him and there he would be, asleep. I began to draw small circles on his arm. "Mmm…" I heard a sound come from Troy. I stopped and he opened his eyes, but still looked like he was half-asleep. "Don't stop." He smiled and I continued to draw circles once more. He closed his eyes again, still with a smile on his face.

Yet, things did change between us. Five years have passed since our senior year and now we were older. "Troy?" I asked quiet as he opened his eyes again and looked at me. His eyes were now a much brighter blue as the sunlight reflected off of them.

_"What is it?" he asked. It was Sunday morning, the week of prom. I had spent the evening at Troy's apartment and just woke up next to him. I turned away and gently bit my lip for a moment. I wasn't really sure how to tell him that I was in love with him. I might as well just wait until the right time to tell him. "Nothing." I shook my head and looked into his blue eyes. "His eyes searched mine for answers, and it was as if he was trying to read my mind. "I'm going to make breakfast." He kissed my lips, then got out of bed and threw on a pair of boxers._

"Never mind." I shook my head and turned away from him. I was now facing the window and gently bit my lip. I wanted to tell him about Chad, but I figured that it would be overwhelming. I felt the weight of the bed shift. I waited a minute or two to see that Troy had gone into the bathroom. I got out of bed and put on my underwear, then threw on one of his shirts. I pulled on a pair of pants and stuffed my shirt into my bag. I walked down the hallway and entered the kitchen to make us a pot of coffee. Troy entered the kitchen, wearing only a pair of pants. "Is that my shirt?" He asked, opening the fridge and pulled out the carton of eggs.

"I was too lazy to wear mine." I told him and sat on the counter as I waited for the coffee to brew. He placed the carton on the counter and took out a few eggs, then cracked them into a bowl. "Keep it." He said, then began to scramble the eggs. "It suits you." I smiled and played with the thread hanging from the shirt. I poured us both a cup of coffee once Troy had finished scrambling the eggs in the pan. He set the cooked eggs on two plates. We both sat down on the barstools to eat our eggs and drink coffee. "Is everything alright?" He asked while we ate our food. I remembered the last time I was alone in the same room as Troy, especially the times when we'd be at his apartment.

"Gabs, I understand that it's hard to forget what happened, but it's in the past."

"You're going to tell me to forget about the past. I can let it go, but it's scarred me for the rest of my life. I just- It feels like there is no way to heal from what happened." It was then I simply lost it. I told him everything, almost everything. I told him about my purpose for moving here and running into Chad at the club when I was with my friend. I told him about some of the things Chad and I had done. I still couldn't manage to tell him exactly how I felt about him. Afterwards, nothing was said between us. It was then I decided that I was going to leave him to his thoughts.

"You _slept _with him?" Troy asked as soon as I reached the door. Out of all the things I had told him, that one detail stood out to him? "It's not a big deal Troy." I told him.

"It is a big deal Gabs. You slept with the guy who treated you like shit, the guy who I used to be friends with."

"I slept with you, didn't I?" That statement hit him hard as I turned and walked out of the door. I slammed it behind me and walked into the elevator, then stepped it. Troy didn't follow me out. As soon as the doors closed, I leaned against the back walk and cried. Everything between Troy and I seemed to result in one of us or both of us getting hurt. There was absolutely no way either of us could get along. All I could think about was the past, but if I should forget about the past, I might as well do as he says.

. . .

It was the day of Ryan and Kelsi's wedding. I apologized to them for not being able to make it to the actual ceremony, but they were glad that I made it to the reception. "I didn't think you'd actually make it to the reception Gabs." Ryan smiled as he greeted me with a hug. I hugged him back with a smile and said, "I wouldn't miss my friends' wedding for the world." As soon as we pulled away, I admired how great Ryan looked in a tuxedo. Chad had also been invited to the wedding and had brought Taylor along. Chad was one of the groomsmen.

"Hey you." Chad approached me with a smile and gave me a hug. I hugged him back and pulled away. Chad's smile was now more genuine and his eyes were much kinder. Taylor had brought back the old Chad that I once loved. "Gabby!" Taylor gave me a tight hug and I let out a chuckle. She and I had become best friends over the course of a year. "Hey Tay." We pulled away from our hug and caught up on how their relationship was going.

While everyone mingled with one another, I sat outside in one of the chairs in the lobby outside the ballroom. It had been three months since the last Troy and I spoke. It was similar to high school. We'd exchange quick glances, but we'd never speak a word. Sometimes we would ignore each other. I knew that Troy and Chad rekindled their friendship. I was glad that the two were friends again. At least their relationship was still intact. Troy wasn't at the wedding and that bothered Ryan. A few times in the last hour, Ryan would walk out of the ballroom to call Troy. He sounded more angry than upset. He'd hang up the phone, take a deep breath, and head back inside. This time, he was about to go back inside when he noticed me.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

I shrugged, "I needed a breather."

He sat down in another chair beside me. "Sounds like a story that needs to be told." he said. With no hesitation, I told Louis everything. Ryan, like a few of the friends I had, became one of the people I trusted. "When the time is right, you'll know when to tell him." I couldn't help but think that Ryan was right. Only time will tell on whether or not I should explain to Troy how I really feel about him. I was just fed up with his jealous tendencies. I hadn't fallen for Chad, even though I slept with him for that one night. I hadn't gone around to dating Jason because he was my best friend and he would be better off with Martha.

It would've been impossible for me to move on from Troy. It was then I came to a realization that I was in love with Troy. After all this time since high school, I had never been over him. "I have to go." I told Ryan, getting up from my seat. I walked out of the hotel and called for a cab, then got in. I knew on some Saturday nights, Troy worked late at the office. I decided to first locate him there, if not, then I'd go to his apartment. I paid the cab driver as much as it would take me to get a ride from the hotel to the company to Troy's apartment.

I entered the building, then rode the elevator to the twenty-third floor. I was getting impatient and the doors opened, then exited out into the lobby. I walked down the hallway and made a sharp left, accidentally running into someone. I looked up and was met face to face with a pair of blue eyes. "Gabriella?" It was my boss, Lucas. He was just about to leave the building. "Do you know where Troy is?" I asked him. Every minute ticked by when there was silence between us. "I thought he was at Ryan's wedding." he said. I told him that he wasn't at the wedding and figured that he would be here at the office. "Check at his apartment, maybe." He suggested and I nodded, then left as quickly as I had arrived.

Once again, I got into the cab and told the driver the address to Troy's apartment. He lived in Manhattan and the drive there was tedious. Stupid New York traffic. The driver parked in front of the building and I thanked him before getting out. He drove away and I entered the lobby, then pressed the elevator button. The door opened and I stepped in. The ride to the fifteenth floor was just as long as the ride to the twenty-third floor at the company.

_1517. 1518. 1519. 15- _I arrived in front of Troy's door and knocked. After two minutes, there wasn't an answer. I checked the door knob and jiggled the handle until the door opened. _Unlocked?_ I entered the empty apartment and turned on a few of the lights.

_"I'll meet you in the lobby mom." I told my mom. Today we were finally moving out of Los Angeles. My mom entered the elevator as I looked back in the empty apartment. There were so many memories there that I didn't want to leave behind. Memories of the day Troy had taken me home, the days when we'd watch movies together on the couch, and times when I begged him to stay over because my mom was out and I hated to be alone. I closed the door and turned towards Troy's apartment. I inserted the key into the lock and turned, hearing the door unlock. I turned the knob and opened the door. The entire room didn't have the same feel as it did before. Troy was really gone. _

"Troy?" I called out into the empty room. I waited a few seconds, but there was no answered. I called out his name again, this time a bit louder. Again, no answer. The picture on the counter was gone. All that was left was a key and a note written to me.

_Gabriella,_

_I'm sorry to have caused you a lot of trouble. You don't deserve me. You should be with someone else, someone who'll love you the way you want to be loved. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life and neither of those mistakes I regret, but there's one I do regret and that is losing you. I'm sorry I couldn't make it to Ryan's wedding. Will you apologize to him for me? I'm sure he'll understand. Yeah, he'll be angry at me because he was hoping for his Best Man to be there. I just couldn't find the nerve to go. I don't want him to be worried about me. I don't want anyone to be worried about me. Everyone seemed so happy, and I didn't want to ruin that. I wanted you to have a great time at the wedding, without me._

_In general, I want you to be happy and if it's not with me, I'm glad. I'm entrusting you with this key. On the back of this note is an address. I know you won't go right away, but I know in time you will. I love you Gabriella, and don't you forget that. Promise me you move on from me, promise me you'll forget about me. Promise me you'll find a guy who will be the one you'll fall in love with one day and marry. Promise me that and I'll be happy._

_T. Bolton_

"How can you be so stupid Troy?!" There were tears in my eyes as I balled my hands up into fists, crumpling the note. "You can't just leave me like this." I stormed into the bedroom and there I saw it, sitting on the beside table.

_"C'mon you two, smile for the camera." It was graduation. My mom had managed to get Troy and I to be in the same room as each other. I didn't want to be with Troy right now. "Mom, is this necessary?" I asked her._

_"Yes, now smile." My mom pressed the button before we could even get ready, but magically, the picture came out flawless._

I picked up the frame and looked at the picture in my hand. We were so happy back then, even if we had broken up and were going our separate ways. It reminded me of how the two of us can be happy, no matter how dire the situation was. I looked at the crumpled paper in my hands and looked to see what the address was.

_1450 Madison Ave  
__Los Angeles, California_


	19. Chapter 18

I had to escape this madness. I breathed in the warm oceanic air before I opened my eyes. I stared out towards the Atlantic ocean and stood on the balcony in my apartment. A hundred or so feet below me, I could hear the bustling sounds of taxi drivers honking their horns and shouting to the driver in front of them.

It was typical New York traffic. A slight breeze came, gently flowing through my hair. Next door, I could hear my neighbors arguing. It was the same time every single morning. 10am. I walked back into the room, picked up my suitcase, and walked out of the bedroom. I traveled down the hallway and opened the door, then turned towards my apartment. "Goodbye New York. I'm going to miss you."

. . .

The plane touched down in LAX. Crowds of people surrounded me as I exited the terminal. I stepped out of the airport and waited on the sidewalk after I called for a cab. Los Angeles was just how I left it. Nothing had really changed about the city. I took the cab to the house and got out of the cab with my suitcase. I stood in front of the house. It was a two-story house, but with a few glass windows. I placed the key into the lock and entered the house. Inside, the area was massive. It reminded me of Ryan's place, but of course, it was a tad different. The living room was painted with the same stale blue at Troy's apartment. A large white couch sat in the middle of the room. The arrangement was very modern. There was a staircase that led to the second floor. It made me look up to see the high ceiling. I looked down the hallway to see the master bedroom.

I emerged from the hallway and saw two glass doors leading to the backyard. There was a pool and a hot tub from where I stood. I entered the kitchen to see a coffee maker, a stainless steel fridge, and white granite counter tops. I began to venture off to more areas of the house. After looking through the five rooms upstairs, I decided to go into the master bedroom. I opened the double doors and entered the room. It was a large room with a king sized bed in the middle of the room. A mahogany dresser was to my left, near the bathroom door. The bedside tables were also made of mahogany with lamps sitting atop them. The bed was elegant. The sheets were a nice purple color with added stale grey accents. It was a beautiful bed spread. I looked down to see that I was stepping on a hardwood floor. I turned to see a 72" flat screen TV propped on the wall. Also, there were two large glass doors that led out onto the balcony.

I entered the bathroom to see that the countertops in the bathroom were also granite, but black. There was a shower, a bathtub, and two sinks. Emerging from the bathroom, I saw another door where the TV was. I slid open the door to reveal a massive walk-in closet. Of course it was empty, but it was still marvelous. It occurred to me how Troy could afford such a beautiful house like this. I walked out of the bedroom and walked down the hallway to check the garage. Inside the garage were two cars: an Aston Martin and an Audi r8. I recognized the Aston Martin as Troy's car, but the Audi didn't seem to belong to anyone I knew. It was a silver color. I exited the garage and walked into the living room. Also, another 72" flat screen TV was on the wall. On the coffee table sat two pictures: Jack and Lucille. I recognized them as Troy's parents. For now, I was alone in this house. I walked into the kitchen and saw a note that was on the fridge.

_Gabriella,_

_Hope you enjoy your new home, and welcome back to LA. I hope you find everything suited to your life style._

_T. Bolton_

Life style? Wait a minute. The stale blue walls, the white couch, the picture of Jack and Lucille, and the Aston Martin. Everything that reminded me of Troy. It confused me as to why he wanted me to remember him, if he was the one who told me to move on. Yet, he was using my own words against me. What were intentions for me to move on to someone else? How could I possibly move on if I was in love with Troy? Did he think it was going to be easy for me to forget about him?

Three weeks had passed and I was finally settled into my new home. It had taken some time for me to unpack all the boxes, but I managed. Hopefully this would be the last time I'll ever move. "Yes mom, I'll be fine here in LA. Don't worry about me." "My mom hadn't really been checking up on me when I lived in New York. "I love you too." Maybe it was because she lived in another city that was a good drive away, rather than a four-hour flight away. I hung up the phone and decided to cook myself some lunch. I had only had ingredients to make spaghetti. Great. Another memoir to remind me of Troy. A few times I've watched Harry make spaghetti, but I've never done it on my own.

Surprisingly, it turned out better than I expected. I didn't burn anything. Troy would be proud of me. My heart sank just thinking about him as I gave myself a serving and sat down in the dining room. The spaghetti wasn't half-bad either, but Troy's- _Gabriella, stop thinking about him. _A knock came at the door and I stood up to go answer it. "Jason?" Jason stood before me in a black shirt, jeans, and white sneakers. "Hey Gabs." He smiled. I wasn't aware that I had given him my address. "How-"

"Martha told me." He interrupted. Right, I told Martha that I was leaving. She was sad that we wouldn't be neighbors anymore, but I promised her that I'd visit her. I nodded and asked if he wanted to come in. "Sure." I stepped aside as Jason entered and shut the door behind him. "Nice place." He called out as I walked back into the dining room and sat down to resume eating my lunch. "Thanks." Jason sat down in a chair near mine and rested his arms on the table.

"How've you been?" he asked. I shrugged, twirling the noodles with my fork but didn't pick up any to eat. "Good, I guess."

"You guess? I didn't fly 3000 miles to see my best friend. C'mon, give me a smile." He nudged me a bit and I gave him a half-hearted smile. Of course, he didn't buy it. He reached out and began to tickle me as I dropped my fork onto the plate. My laughs were in spurts as he continued to tickle me. "Jason! Stop! I give in!" He was triumphant in making me smile. "I win!" I rolled my eyes and lightly punched him in the arm. He rubbed his arm, teasing me that he had been defeated.

"How can you survive here alone?" he asked.

"I'm used to living alone." I said and finally began to eat my food again. "Besides, it's relaxing."

"Let's do something fun." He suggested as I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Jason Cross is Mr. Fun? "Where's my best friend and what have you done with him?"

"Gabs, I'm serious. You look like you've been inside all day and are needing to go outside. You're starting to smell."

"What?!"

"I'm kidding, but really. When was the last time you actually went outside?" I couldn't really answer his question and I knew that he was right. I haven't really gone outside in a while. "Can you help me put the spaghetti away while I go and get dressed?"

"Sure thing." I stood up and half-ran to the end of the hallway, entering the bedroom. I walked into my closet and picked out something to wear. I settled for dark-blue skinny jeans, white tank, and a grey cardigan. I wore a pair of white flats. I tied my hair in a quick ponytail and grabbed my bag. "Ready to go?" He asked as I nodded. We exited the house and walked out to his car. We got in and he drove down the street. The entire day, Jason and I had spent walking around the mall.

Afterwards, we went out for ice cream and to end the day, we took a walk on the beach. "I had a lot of fun Jason. More fun than I've had in months." I smiled as he walked me up to the front door. He was such a gentleman and sometimes, I wish I had dated him instead. We stood in front of the door and immediately, there was something about the atmosphere that changed between us. The way we looked into each others eyes, the way my cheeks suddenly flustered, and the way my heart raced against my chest. I would've never felt this way before in high school, not with Jason. "I'm glad. I had a lot of fun too." He smiled. "It was good seeing you. Good night Gabriella. I'll see you around." I just nodded and opened the door, then went inside. I closed the door behind me. Right then and there, I made my wish and let out a sigh. Not a moment later, the sound of knocking came at the door.


	20. Chapter 19

"Gabriella! Gabby, open the door!" A voice called out from behind the door. I opened the door and there Jason stood. "What-"

"It's Zeke, no, it's Sharpay." he said. I wondered how he had gotten here so fast. "Sharpay?" I asked, suddenly worried about my best friend. "She and Zeke…car accident." Of course he was breathless and I figured he ran to get here from where he parked the car. "What?" I was frantic now.

"We have to go to the hospital, now." he said. I nodded and followed him out to his car. We got out as soon as we arrived at the hospital. We entered the hospital and acquired some of the information about our friends' room numbers. Zeke was in 317 and Sharpay was in 320. "You should go see them, I'll inform Troy." I told Jason.

"Are you sure?" I simply nodded and he kissed the top of my head before stepping into the elevator. I took out my phone and called Troy. After five rings, it went straight to voicemail. Frustrated, I hung up and tried again. On the sixth try, Troy finally picked up. "Why do you keep calling me?" he asked.

"It's Gabriella."

"Gabriella?"

"Zeke and Sharpay are in the hospital. They were just in a car accent." I said.

"How are they?"

"I have no idea. I sent Jason to go and see them."

"Tell him to call me about their condition." He said and hung up. That was the longest conversation we've had since I moved back to LA. I figured that it'd be the only conversation we would have together. I stepped into the elevator and exited on the third floor. I walked into Sharpay's room and sat down. She was awake. "Hey." I smiled. She gave me a small smile, which was enough for me. She had a broken left arm and a few bruises, but she looked fine to me. I was more worried about Zeke. "How's Zeke?" she asked. I told her that Jason was seeing him. She had sad eyes and I knew that she was just as worried as I. "I hope he's okay." she said. The door opened and Jason stepped in, then closed the door. "How's he doing?" I asked him.

"He's bruised in a few areas, around his rib cage and his right leg is broken. He'll be fine. I mean, after all that, he managed to crack a few jokes." Typical Zeke was my instant thought. "I swear, he's always making jokes no matter what the situation was."

"Troy told me that you should call him." I told Jason. He nodded and stepped out of the room to call Troy, leaving me alone with Sharpay. "How are you and Troy?" Sharpay asked as I took a seat near her bed. I shook my head and sighed, "Not well. He bought me a house though and we hardly spoke since I moved back here. The call about you two was the last call I made to him."

"Hey, cheer up Gabs. You and Troy will be together again. I have faith in both of you." she smiled.

"You do?" I asked her.

"Yeah. I know I've dated Troy, but I've never seen him happier. With other girls, he's just perverted and a total flirt. With you, he's Troy. I mean, I've never seen that side of him before. Maybe, he's just kept it for so long and waited for the right girl to come along. He really loves you Gabs. He's told me himself a few times when you guys weren't talking. Yeah, we talk but you know he and I are friends. He's a good match for you Gabs, you two compliment each other." Sharpay was right about Troy. Jason walked back into the room and told us that Troy was getting on a flight to come to LA as soon as possible. "Give me your keys, I'll pick him up." I told Jason. It took me ten minutes to persuade Jason to give me his keys. "Thank you. I'll give them back."

Troy's plane was landing at 10:45pm. It was 9:15pm. I got in Jason's car and drove to the airport parking garage. I stepped out of the car and walked into the airport. What was I to do for another hour? I asked myself and sat down in one of the chairs surrounding the baggage claim. Somehow I managed to bide myself sometime as people were walking through the baggage claim. I caught sight of Troy who had seen me before I saw him. "Thought Jason was going to be here with you." Troy said as we walked outside to the parking garage.

"He's back at the hospital with Zeke and Sharpay." I told him, getting into the car. He put his bag in the back seat and slid into the passenger seat. The roles were now reversed. Usually, it was me in the passenger seat and Troy was the one driving. I started the car and drove down the highway back to the hospital. The ride was silent on the way there. We were both quietly listening to the soft hum of the engine. Why did things have to be awkward between us now? I didn't like this feeling one bit. I parked the car in the lot as we arrived at the hospital. We got out of the car and entered the elevator. Arriving at the third floor, we stepped out. Toy was greeted by Jason and entered Zeke's room.

I sat down in one of the chairs outside of the rooms. Jason sat down beside me and I was thankful that he was keeping me company. Troy walked out of Zeke's room and went to see Sharpay. I entered Zeke's room and saw that he was sitting up in bed. "Long time no see." Zeke smiled. "I'd give you a hug, but I can't physically move without hurting."

"It's okay Zeke." I smiled, then sat down in the chair beside the bed. "It's good to see you smiling. You had me worried there for a second."

"I was worried too. I thought both of my legs were going to be broken, the way the truck crushed the car. Is Sharpay alright?" Zeke and Sharpay were both worried about each others' well-being. I was glad the two have found each other that night at homecoming.

"Yeah, she's fine. She's worried about you."

"When I get better, I'll go and see her." Zeke said. "I talked to Troy."

"I know." I looked down and wondered what the two of them were having a conversation about. Maybe they were just sharing a laugh with each other. "He misses you Gabs."

"He does?"

"He only talked about you when he came in here. I figured you knew."

"I didn't."

Jason walked into the room and asked me if I was ready to go home. I nodded and bid Zeke goodbye, then went to Sharpay's room to tell her goodbye. "Remember what I told you Gabs." she said.

"I won't forget. I promise." I smiled, then got into the elevator with Jason. Troy was waiting in the main lobby. The three of us walked to Jason's car and got in. The car ride wasn't as silent as I let Jason and Troy catch up. "I mostly kept to myself in the back seat and looked out the window. Jason stopped in front of my house and I thanked him for the ride, then got out of the car. As I walked up the driveway, I heard footsteps following behind me. I turned to see that Troy was following behind me. It reminded me the first day I discovered that he and I were neighbors back at the apartment. I stopped in front of the door and turned to face him. "Why are you following me?" I asked.

"It's my house too." He took out a key and slipped into the lock, then entered the house. I followed behind him and locked the door behind us. Yes, of course he bought this house for the both of us. "So, the Audi in the garage-"

"It's yours." He interrupted, setting his back in the master bedroom. I followed him inside as he began to take off his shoes. "Everything in this house is yours, except for the bits and pieces of furniture, those are mine." He slipped off his jacket and then his shirt as I looked away for a moment. "You can look, you know." I could feel a smirk at the end of the sentence. I turned around to see him enter the bathroom and close the door behind him. At least for now, I could breathe. I pulled out a tank top and shorts from the dresser. I had changed out of my clothes when Troy stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel wrapped around his hips.

"Your turn." He smirked. I rolled my eyes and entered the bathroom, then locked the door. It was so weird being in the same house as Troy. Why did he seem so calm and suddenly playful? I slightly shook my head and stripped down, then stepped into the shower. I let the warm water wash over my body, but I was still tense. I dried myself off and put on my clothes, then exited the bathroom. Troy was now wearing some flannel pants and got into bed. "You are not sleeping here." I said.

"Why not? It's _my_ room." He rested his hands behind his head and smiled. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a pillow. I grabbed a blanket from the storage room and walked out into the living room to sleep on the couch. "Giving me the silent treatment, are you?" He called from down the hallway as I managed to get comfortable on the couch. "Have it your way." I heard the door close and now I could sleep in peace.

The next morning I awoke to the smell of bacon. I sat up and stretched out my arms. "Morning princess." Troy brought out two plates of food as he set it on the dining table. I entered the dining room and sat down at the table. He had made breakfast. "What happened to you?" I asked him.

"What do you mean?" He sat down across from me and began to eat his serving. I furrowed my eyes together and thought about what Zeke had told me earlier, but then I remembered that he went to talk to Sharpay. "What did you and Sharpay talk about?"

He shrugged, "Nothing much. We mostly just talk about everything on the phone, usually about you."

"What about me?"

"Gabs, I know you are mad at me but I'm willing to make things right between us. I'm only staying for a few days and then I'm going back to New York. So, whatever you need to tell me, tell me now or don't say anything-"

"I love you."


	21. Chapter 20

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Hey everyone! I'm EXTREMELY sorry about not being able to upload in the last few days or past week. My internet is currently being on and off. Also, I have been doing summer school for college (only for five weeks). I promise I will have the last chapter (the Epilogue) up either tomorrow or sometime on this weekend. Thank you all for being so patient with me! I am truly grateful for all of your comments over the past few weeks. I have been busy doing homework for this one class I'm taking for summer school, and it is more important (especially with my internet being poop). Please enjoy this chapter! Thanks again! :)

-The Author

* * *

There. It was out. I said the three words I have been dying to say since the day I knew I was in love with him. My secret was finally released from its cage. Troy had been the key this entire time. "-at all." Troy finished his sentence, but stared at me like I was from another planet. I had expected a much different reaction from him. I shouldn't have said it. Maybe it was too soon. I stood up from my seat and entered the kitchen. I paced the kitchen floor, anxiously. "Gabriella?" His voice made me stop in my tracks as I looked at him. He was standing only in the flannel pants he wore last night. I looked at everything but his eyes. I couldn't seem to look him in the eyes after what I had said.

"Gabriella." His voice was much clearer as he approached me, but I continued to keep my gaze on the swallows. "Gabby, look at me," His hand reached out and touched my face. The roughness of his hand against mine. I simply melted at the touch and then my eyes traveled up to meet his. It was in his eyes I saw the future. _Our_ future.

"Troy, I miss you. I miss everything about you. I miss your eyes, your hair, and your smile. I miss your laugh, the way you hold me in your arms, and the way you kiss me. I miss the nights walking on the beach. I miss the cute date nights we'd have at your apartment. I miss it when you cooked dinner for me. I miss when we could talk on the phone for hours at a time. I miss waking up next to you. I left LA thinking that I'd be fine without you, and now I realize, I was wrong. When I saw you on the first day I started working, I knew I wasn't over you. I wasn't over you when I saw you with Sophie. I was never over you to begin with. Leaving you was the worst thing I could've possibly done. Instead of striving to make my future better, I ran away from you.

"I pushed you away, hoping that it'd make everything better. It didn't. I need you more than you will ever need me. Troy, I honestly did try to move on, but I couldn't. How was I supposed to move on when-" Troy interrupted by kissing me. His hand intertwined with my hair and another fell on my waist. He pulled away and looked into my eyes. "I love you too Gabriella." I kissed him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He lifted me in his arms and carried me into the bedroom. He set me down on the bed and got on top of me. I owed him this much and I allowed him to do whatever he pleased. His hand reached under my top, swiftly taking it off with one quick movement.

His lips still never left mine until he began to kiss my neck. I let out a soft moan as I closed my eyes, running my hands through his hair. He pulled down my shorts and panties without struggle. I've never wanted something so badly in my life. I reached down and slipped off his pants. Troy kicked them off as they fell to the floor. He kissed my lips again, slowly sliding into me. I let out a small gasp, but nothing had ever felt so good. Our moans sounded harmoniously, carrying throughout the entire room. Afterwards, we found ourselves lying beside each other in bed. We were both breathing heavily. What happened between us was exhilarating. "Wow…" Those were the only words I could muster as Troy propped himself up on his elbow and looked at me. "Wow?" He raised an eyebrow with a smirk. I laid on my side and faced him. "Wow as in 'there were no other words.'" I smiled.

"I'm the best you've ever had Gabs, admit it."

I rolled my eyes and just smiled. "Wait, is there someone better than me?" he asked.

"Troy, there's no one better than you." I smiled, then leaned over and kissed him on the lips. I pulled away and snuggled into him as he wrapped his arms around me. "Good, because I was getting worried."

. . .

Troy moved back to LA because he claimed that a little girl like me shouldn't be alone in a big house. I was glad to have Troy back. I had just come home from work when out of nowhere, I was sprayed with silly string. "Troy!"

"Love you babe." He dropped the spray bottle and dashed into a section of the house. I closed the door behind me and set the bag on the couch. I picked up the spray and dashed after him. He was hiding behind the island in the kitchen. "Come back here!" I called out.

"Not until you catch me." He ran out towards the backyard and I followed him, missing him with each spray. "This isn't fair." I crossed my arms over my chest and pouted. He walked over to me, but kept his distance. "I am not falling for that." he said.

"Fine, no more sexy time for you." I turned and began to walk towards the house. I half-expected for him to follow me. I turned around and sprayed him when I knew that he was a foot or so behind me. "I will get you for that." I squealed and ran down the hallway, but he was faster than me. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. "Troy, put me down!" I pounded my fists against his back. He gently threw me to the bed and got on top of me. This was how most of our days went at home. Other times, we'd sit on the couch and watch movies together. Our friends were worried about us sometimes, but they were just glad Troy and I were back together.

"I have a surprise for you." Troy told me as we walked out to his car. It was the night of my birthday and he hadn't said where we were going when I asked. "Just tell me what the surprise is. I can't wait any longer." He chuckled as we got in the car and he began to drive down the highway. He was silent for the entire drive while I sat impatiently in my seat. What was Troy keeping from me? Two weeks ago he was highly talkative until now. The thought had suddenly got me nervous. "Are you breaking up with me?" I asked, out of the blue.

He glanced at me and shook his head. "What? No, why would you think I'm breaking up with you?"

"I just- never mind." I sighed and then resumed to staring out the window. He parked in front of a restaurant. "This is my surprise?" I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He smiled, then got out of the car. I got out of the car and followed him inside the restaurant. "Ah, Mr. Bolton, your table is right this way." A waiter smiled. Troy just politely nodded as he intertwined my hand in his and we followed the waiter to a table. The table was secluded from everyone else. I liked the arrangement. The single rose that was placed in a vase on the table. Troy pulled out a chair for me and I thanked him, sitting down. He sat across from me.

"What can I start you off with?" The waiter asked.

"A bottle of your finest champagne. We're celebrating a special occasion tonight." Troy smiled. His eyes gleamed at me and I tried to read them to figure out what he was saying, but he was good at hiding his emotions well. "What exactly are we celebrating?" I asked once the waiter walked away.

"Your birthday, of course." I knew that there was more, but I didn't want to read into it. For now, I might as well enjoy the night with Troy before the night is suddenly ruined. I had been planning to spend my birthday with my friends, but Troy wanted the entire day to spend with me. Selfish. Yet, I loved him. Our food that we ordered had been brought out to us and we began to eat. "This is one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time." I told him with a smile. I remembered celebrating my birthday with my dad before he left my mom and I. It was the last birthday I had ever spent with my dad and I never wanted that day to end. "It's only going to get better." He smiled. I felt that he was hinting at something. Why did Troy have to be so difficult to read?

After dinner, Troy ordered dessert. Red velvet for me and chocolate for him. "You make better cakes." I smiled, taking a bite of my cake. "It's too much work to own a bakery Gabs." He took a bite of his cake. I reached over with my fork and took a piece of his cake. "Hey!" He let out a light chuckle and I just grinned. After dinner and dessert, Troy and I walked out of the restaurant. We got back into his car and Troy started on down the street again. "Where we headed to this time?" I questioned when I knew we weren't going back in the direction of the house. "You'll see." He smiled and began to drum his thumbs on the steering while he drove.

Troy parked his car in front of the beach. It was a place where I had him promise me to move and settle down with a girl. I remember he promised to move on, but promised to make sure that girl was me. We got out of the car and walked down to the shore line. We held hands while we walked, quietly listening to the gentle sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Troy stopped walking as I turned and faced him. "What's wrong?" I asked him. He smiled and shook his head as he placed his hands into his pockets.

"Let's admire the sunset." He suggested and turned towards the horizon. I looked out towards the horizon as the sun began to set. I felt him take my hand as soon as the sun was almost beneath the horizon. I turned and looked at him to see that he was down on one knee. Oh. My. God. I couldn't believe what was happening. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Gabriella, I have loved you since the first day I laid eyes on you in the cafeteria. It was then I thought I just had to have you and would be broken hearted if I knew you were with somebody else. Knowing that we were neighbors, I was more nervous to talk to you. I never showed it because I didn't want you to think I was a player just wanting to get in your pants. When you went to homecoming with Jason, I was jealous. I gotta admit, no guy has ever made me jealous. When I discovered that you two weren't together, that was my chance to ask you out. It was then I chickened out. I couldn't find the nerve to ask you and it killed me inside. After my relationship with Kelsi and Jaime, I was going to grab that chance of having you as my girlfriend.

"When you had gone off to New York, I was lonely. I went to your apartment and knocked on the door, but it wasn't the same. I went to New York after college and got a job. I didn't think we'd be working together. It was then I realized that I love you and when I wrote that letter [note] to you, it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I love you Gabriella Anne Montez. I promise to be here by your side, at every waking moment, and holding you in my arms until you fall asleep. I promise to love you always, even when we grow old together because to me, you will always be beautiful. You are my best friend and the love of my life, so," With a short pause, he pulled out the ring from his pocket. "Will you do the greatest honor of marrying me?"

The ring was absolutely gorgeous. It was an 10k diamond ring. Tears were brought to my eyes as I nodded. "Yes." Troy placed the ring on my finger and I wrapped my arms around him as I pulled in for a kiss.


	22. Epilogue

September 27th. Today was the day of our wedding day. Troy and I had agreed to push the wedding date back a year. "You two getting married, it's the best day ever!" Sharpay gushed as I rolled my eyes. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my veil. "Troy is one lucky man. He's definitely getting some tonight." Taylor teased as I rolled my eyes. We were all in a suite at the hotel in New York. Troy and I had planned to get married at Central Park. I enjoyed the scenery from the years I've lived in New York and getting married there would seem surreal. The reception was going to be out on the park as well in a tent. "I'm proud of you honey." My mom smiled as she gave me a hug. I wish my dad was here to see me get married. I wish he was here to walk me down the aisle. "Your dad would've been so proud of you." She pulled away and placed her hands on my shoulders. Yes, he would've been proud to see his only daughter get married.

"You girls ready?" Taylor had popped in to check up on us. Taylor Hendricks was my mom's current boyfriend whom she met while at work. I had met Taylor at the Christmas party my mom had so casually, but forcibly invited me to. Taylor was a real sweet guy. He reminded me a lot of my dad. He was tall, brown hair, and hazel eyed. He was funny and yet took my mom out on the most wonderful dates, better than my dates with Troy. Unfortunately. "Yeah, just about." I smiled. The girls and I exited the room, then entered the elevator. Sharpay, Kelsi, and Martha were my bridesmaids while Taylor was my maid of honor.

We were all able to squeeze into the van, despite my voluminous wedding dress. All of us arrived at the park and got out. The guys had probably arrived before we did. The wedding didn't start for another hour. I was suddenly getting nervous and impatient. "I really wanted to get the wedding over with and run away with Troy. "Feeling the jitters already?" Taylor asked me as I nodded.

"You'll be fine as soon as you see Troy at the end of the aisle." Sharpay smiled. At first I didn't want to believe her, but Sharpay was mostly right. I trusted her word and just nodded. The hour had felt much longer because I found myself constantly asking Taylor what the time was. I had told my mom and Taylor that I preferred to walk down the aisle, alone. They respected my decision as they had left to go to their seats. The music began playing once the hour was up. "See you at the end." Martha smiled. The flower girl and the ring bearer were the first to go down the aisle, followed by the bridesmaids and the groomsmen. Taylor shortly followed after and finally, it was my turn.

_"Do you Barbie take Ken - to be your awfully wedded wife - to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, till death do yous part?" Six year-old Gabriella held the Barbie doll in her hands, along with Ken. "Lawfully, honey." Her mother corrected. "I do!" Gabriella spoke in a girly-pitched voice. She hushed her mom and her dad let out a light chuckle. "Do you Ken take Barbie to be your lawfully… blah blah blah?" She asked._

_"I do." She did her best to imitate a boys voice. After the short exchanging of the rings, Gabriella announced, "You may now kiss the bride!" Ken and Barbie leaned in for a kiss. "Did they live happily ever after Princess?" Her dad asked._

_"Of course, every Princess wishes for a happy ending." Gabriella smiled up at her father. She had resembled both her parents. For a young girl at the age of six, she had dreamed for larger things than most of the other children. "I want to get married someday." she said._

_"You will honey. You will find that one man who'll make your world a whole lot brighter." Her mom smiled, ruffling her daughter's hair. Gabriella smiled up at her parents and asked, "Daddy, will you be there to walk me down the aisle?"_

The thought made me cry. "Princess, why are you crying?" A voice was called out behind me. It was during the start of the song and I hadn't made my way down the aisle. I turned around and saw the familiar brown eyes. "Daddy!" I ran and hugged him. His arms wrapped tightly around me and I was about to ask, but he whispered in my ear to tell me that I had to walk down the aisle. "I made that promise sweetheart, and I intended to keep it." He smiled. My dad and I were very much alike when it came to keeping promises.

I linked my arms with him and began to walk down the aisle. I'm quite sure that my mom will be surprised. I just wondered how he knew about the wedding. As I walked down the aisle with my dad, I saw Troy standing with his hands folded in front of him. Sharpay was right. All the jitters had been washed away when I saw Troy. We reached the end of the aisle when my dad and Troy shook hands. I caught my dad whisper something in Troy's ear, but I shrugged it off. My dad gave me a kiss on the cheek and resumed to sit in his seat. I cautiously eyed Troy whose eyes just gleamed at me like the time at my birthday.

"Everyone was seated in their seats as I handed the bouquet to Taylor. Troy and I took each other's hands, then the minister began to speak. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to day to celebrate - in Holy Matrimony - the joining of…" The minister went on about his long speech. I was hardly paying any attention to him because I was too busy admiring Troy. "Do you Troy David Alexander Bolton take Gabriella Anne Montez - to be your lawfully wedded wife - to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, till death do you part?" The minister asked Troy.

Troy's eyes shone the brightest of green and smiled, "I do." The minister asked me the same question and I couldn't help but grin. "I do." I immediately said after he finished asking the question. The minister asked for the rings. The ring bearer came up and we each took one ring. After exchanging the rings, the minister had said the last of the words and announced, "You may now kiss the bride." Troy leaned in and kissed my lips as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Once we pulled away, the music began and I was handed my bouquet. Troy and I intertwined hands, then walked down the aisle.

There was still time for us to talk to some of the guests before the reception. I noticed that my mom was talking to my dad. I walked up to them, hearing their argument. "You shouldn't have come Mark." My mom said.

"I promised our daughter that I'd be there to walk her down the aisle. I wouldn't intend to break that promise." I've seen my parents argue multiple times growing up before the split. Those arguments were bad, but on my wedding. "Can you two not fight for once?!" I interrupted their argument. They both stopped and looked at me. There were tears in my eyes and there was nothing anyone could do about it. "I love you both and yeah, you two don't like being in the same area as each other, but can't you two just get along at your daughter's wedding? You can fight somewhere else, but not here. Not today. Not _MY_ day. I'm tired and fed up with your petty arguments over nothing. Yeah, mom slept with your best friend, but that was in the past dad. It doesn't matter now.

"What matters is me." I was being pretty selfish, but it was the truth. I wanted the attention to be focused on my wedding. "You two don't have to sit together, but can't you both just be happy?"

"We are hap-"

I pulled away from my mom's reach and shook my head, then walked away. I began to wipe my tears away as I approached the tent. Troy stood outside with his hands in his pockets while all the guests were inside. "Hey, what's-"

"Let's talk about it later." I interrupted. He nodded and I walked inside the tent as he followed me in. "You okay Gabs?" Zeke asked as he walked up to me. I looked at him and shook my head. He reached out and gave me a hug. I felt bad that I interrupted Troy and hugged Zeke instead. I could feel Troy's eyes watching us because of the burning sensation on my back. "Here, this will help." Jason held out a glass of champagne towards my direction. "Trying to get me drunk?" I asked with a light chuckle.

Jason shrugged and said, "If it'll get you to stop being a downer on your wedding, then yes." I happily took the glass from him and took a sip. Alcohol _did_ make me feel a bit better. Troy approached me again and asked to talk outside. I knew what he wanted to talk about. I gave my glass back to Jason and walked with Troy outside. "You've gotta tell me what's wrong Gabs." Troy said.

"My parents can never be in the same room as each other. They just- they're always fighting and I don't want to be them Troy. I don't want our kids to grow up in a house like mine." Troy reached up and caressed my cheek, gently. He knew how to make me feel better, much more better than the way alcohol did. "They won't Gabs, and I'm going to make sure of that. I love you and if we fight, we're going to work it out. I don't think I'd find anyone better to love than you Gabriella."

I leaned in and kissed his lips. "Thank you Troy."

"Now, let's go back inside and enjoy the rest of this reception." He had playful eyes and his lips curled into a small smirk. I knew what his intentions were for me later that evening, after the reception. I took his hand and allowed for him to lead me back into the tent. Later that evening, Troy and I were lying in bed beside each other in our hotel room. This was the first night that we'd share as husband and wife. I was just glad to have Troy beside me. "Troy," I paused.

"Yes, babe?" He asked, looking down at me. I was never going to get used to that. I could feel the butterflies flutter in my stomach. "You were so intent on keeping your promise. I mean, that day we were talking on the beach when-"

"I know. I wasn't going to break that promise Gabs. Even if we weren't going to be together, I was going to find my way back to you. I was going to make you mine, no matter what the circumstances were. I was going to try. Even if you moved on to someone else, I wasn't going to give up." He looked into my eyes and there I saw it. I knew that all his secrets had been spilled before me. "I also- I promised your dad something." He swallowed and looked away for a moment.

"What's that?" I asked.

"I promised to him that I would never leave you the way he left your mom. He would want his daughter to be happy."

"I've always known my dad was looking out for me, somehow." I said quietly, but I knew he had heard me. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in close. I felt his head resting atop mine and I snuggled into the crook of his neck. "I feel like he sent you Troy."

"Why's that?" Our voices were the same tone of quiet. I looked up at him and smiled, "You remind me of my dad. Besides the hair, the eyes, and the smile, I'm happier with you. When I was younger, I didn't have very many friends in the town that I lived in. My dad was my best friend and when he left us, I felt alone. My mom and I would move from place to place, but nothing felt like home. I thought San Francisco was going to be the city. We lived there for three years until well, you know. Then Los Angeles. I knew for sure that we were going to stay. When I met you, I knew you were different. I didn't really believe the things the other students were saying about you. You've brought me to tears a bunch of times, you've gotten me angry at you, and yet, you've always cheered me up.

"You'd cheer me up the way my dad would. I remember watching princess movies with my dad, which is why he calls me 'princess' and I've dreamed of a happy ever after like those princesses. After I grew up and my dad left us, I thought that was it. No happy ending. No more being called princess. When I'm with you, everything just feels like a fairytale." I told him.

"Can I have the honor of being your prince?" He asked with a smirk.

"No." I smirked and he pretended to look wounded. "You have the honor of being just Troy."

"I will not succumb to being called Troy." He began to tickle me as I let out a squeal and began laughing. "You will make me your king and you shall be my queen. If you disobey, you will suffer the consequences."

He suddenly had me pinned to the bed, hovering over me. "What consequences?"

"No sex…"

"Fine."

"For a year." He smirked.

"A year?!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, a year."

"That's too long."

"Then make me your king and we'll rule the kingdom of Beverly Hills together." I rolled my eyes and chuckled lightly in amusement. "Kingdom of Beverly Hills?"

"Like you can come up with a better name." He plopped down right next to me, like he had won this round. "Sir Troy,"

"Yes my queen?"

"I love you." I smiled up at him and snuggled close towards his body. He wrapped his arms around me again and kissed the top of my head. "I love you too."


End file.
